


Punishment of a God

by LocaLocaLoki



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Asgard (Marvel), Asgardian Loki (Marvel), Asgardian Magic (Marvel), Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, Dark Avengers - Freeform, Dark Loki (Marvel), Dark Steve Rogers, Dom Loki (Marvel), Dom/sub Undertones, F/M, Fatherhood, Gen, Gratuitous Smut, Hurt Loki (Marvel), Jotunn Loki (Marvel), King Loki (Marvel), Loki (Marvel) Feels, Marvel Norse Lore, Marvel Universe, Oral Fixation, Oral Sex, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Battle of New York (Marvel), Post-Thor (2011), Post-Thor: The Dark World, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Loki (Marvel), Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, Royalty, Semi-Public Sex, Smut, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2020-10-06 02:10:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 23
Words: 71,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20499176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LocaLocaLoki/pseuds/LocaLocaLoki
Summary: Charlie Harper is a young mortal woman who draws the attention of Loki, King of Asgard (Marvel AU) after she is taken captive by an ambitious Asgardian slave trader. Her very presence poses a challenge to the god of mischief in more ways than one. Will the god find himself within the arms of a mortal? Will she accept him if he does? Full of surprises, drama, drabble, and pure smut. There will be some dark elements from Loki as well as some of our favorite Avengers.It will be dark, non-con at times and there will be graphic depictions of sex. If this is something you are not comfortable, this will be the only warning that will be provided. Thanks :)





	1. Capture

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!! 
> 
> Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there. 
> 
> Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

Charlie Harper paused from the mountain of paperwork before her to push her thick brown glasses back up her nose. Sighing loudly, she wiped a weary hand over her forehead, through the riotous curls of her messy updo, before coming to pause at the back of her damp neck. The office was sweltering despite the temperature outside thanks to the constant clanging of the old oil radiator that sat in a nearby corner. A glance out the single window that broke up the monotony of beige walls, showed a dark and starless sky. She was the only one in the office, and she didn't need to look outside or even at the clinical looking clock over the door to know that it was ridiculously late. 

Why did she always feel that the work couldn't wait until tomorrow, that every case needed a resolution as soon as it landed on her desk, or the desks' of her colleagues, in this case. When she had taken this job after the attack of New York, almost 6 years ago, she had been so thankful for the chance to live out her passion of helping others. However, the hours were long, the pay was short, and the difference she made in most of these peoples' lives was about as non-existent as the change in her own life. Sighing once more, she closed the file before her, clicked off the switch to her desk lamp, and stood up from her chair slowly as her muscles ached in protest. Ugh, she was getting too old for this shit, she thought morosely to herself. Pulling on her thick black coat, she walked quietly out the large building, waving goodnight to the cleaning crew that had already begun their nightly shift. Stepping out onto the pavement, the stark contrast from the intense heat of the office to the arctic air outside caused her breath to catch in her chest. Shaking herself and pulling her coat closer to her curvy frame, she turned down the alleyway beside the large office building towards the parking lot behind. As her heels clacked loudly against the asphalt, Charlie stopped suddenly halfway down the alley. The hair on the back of her neck prickled slightly as the strange feeling of someone watching her... following her... hit her sharply. Keeping her body stock still, she made a show of pulling out her phone to check the time, her eyes cutting sharply to her left and right as she did so. She could not see anyone behind her, but the shadows seemed darker, thicker somehow than they did just mere seconds before. 

She could see her unassuming sedan some odd feet away, barely 30 steps in front of where she stood. She took her keys and pressed the unlock button swiftly, causing her headlights to come alive and burn brightly down the alley. That was when she heard a strange whirring sound, and a large figure bore down on her. He seemed to literally materialize from the shadows that surrounded him as his meaty hand closed around her mouth. A quick sharp pain radiated from the side of her neck before the mysterious and mystic darkness that encased the figure closed in around her as well. A bald man with a strange beard and even stranger clothing was the last thing her violet-blue eyes saw before the oblivion completely overtook her.

Charlie awoke to the feeling of a dry numbness filling her mouth, and a strange smell like that of decaying leaves filling her nostrils. Cracking one eye open cautiously, she found herself laying on a bed of sorts. Cautiously opening both eyes to examine her surroundings, she was able to make out the solid black stone beneath her that made up a bed and the same strange black rock of the walls and floor. As her eyes searched the first three walls, she noticed there was no window, before her eyes turned on the fourth wall. The last wall wasn't a wall at all, but a vast archway enclosed with heavy gold bars. Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. Where in the hell was she? Charlie looked down at her clothes, they were the same she had worn into the office; an emerald green silk blouse, black pencil skirt, black heels. She noted that her stockings were covered in rips and that the thin gold belt she'd had around her waist and her coat were now missing. Yet the delicate diamond studs at her ears, and the thick-framed tortoise-shell glasses she wore were all still in tact. The room was faintly lit with a pale golden light, although the source of said light was unknown to Charlie. She could not make out any lights above, nor any kind of torches along the walls. And the room was frigid. A deep, bone penetrating type of cold like she was underground or in a cellar...in Antarctica. 

She shuffled quietly towards the bars, intent on trying to see down the dark hallway that seemed to lay outside them. Charlie placed a frigid hand tentatively on the golden rods before jerking her hand violently back. A sharp jolt of electricity had sparked through her hand, the aftermath still sending tingling waves throughout her whole body. Tears began to pool in her eyes, the severity of her current situation striking her to her very core. She was imprisoned. Her mind began racing... the man from last night. Sinking to her knees, harsh but silent sobs began to rack her body as her breathing became more and more irregular. Her vision began to swim with black dots as she fought for each breath. As her breathing became more erratic, the black dots grew larger before finally taking her over and sucking her under. Her body slumped over as her head hit the floor with a sharp crack, the pain from it would have been unbearable but mercifully Charlie was unconscious before it even hit. 

Loki stalked down the long, black corridors towards the underground holding cells below the palace. His pace was quick and angry. A slave trader from Asgard's market by the name of Russe had illegally used the Bifrost to travel to Midgard for new slaves. His attempts last night hadn't been very fruitful for such a dangerous undertaking, Loki thought ruefully, but apparently he did succeed in capturing and bringing back one female to Asgard. “Damn him”, Loki swore under his breath. The last thing he needed right now was his meddlesome, do-gooder of a brother to hear about one of his precious Midgardians taken captive. Especially now, when everything was going so well for the young god. Asgard had not only accepted him as their king in the absence of Thor, but the kingdom had actually flourished under their new master. Granted, Loki could be a harsh master indeed, but he was also known as a just one even if he wasn't a truly benevolent one. The rules and laws of the land were fair, they did not try to bring ruin or destitution to its inhabitants. As long as all the citizens followed the rules and laws, Loki was more than happy to leave them be in peace. It was when those laws were broken, that the true darker nature of Loki was put on display. 

He would be amiss if he said he didn't take some small pleasure from enacting his rule upon these people, and even more so when he handed down judgment and sentencing. He knew the darkness that crawled inside him, it did not frighten him and he did not fully try to hide nor deny it. It simply was a part of him, just like his troubled childhood, fractured relationships, Jotun bloodline, and yearning for glory. His nature was like that of a two-edged sword. The lightness which craved glory, acceptance, love, and the path to heroism. And the darkness which fed off of subjugation, domination, and the overwhelming desire of power. He walked a fine, tight line between the two. He knew too much time spent in the light would have him seen as weak, and too much time in the dark would have him labeled a despot. Both could lead to upheaval and the overthrowing of his rule, and that was something he refused to part with. So, he balanced his scales carefully to the public. But, how to deal with this newest... problem? 

He did not need his brother Thor involved in Asgardian business, and while the slave market was still a legal trade in the kingdom for which he could not punish this Russe character, the illegal use of the Bifrost was a highly punishable offense. And that was not even taking into context what exactly was he supposed to do with a weak, Midgardian woman. He supposed that he could send her back, using his Sedir to block her memories of this place. But, in order to do that he would need to keep her very presence in Asgard a secret. And to keep it a secret, he would not be able to publicly punish the slave trader. He couldn't just kill the man either, he was not only a highly sought after merchant in Asgard as well as the other realms, he was extremely profitable for the kingdom. The amount he brought in from taxes on household slaves alone was enough to give Loki pause in the matter. He was truly in a unique situation, one that he did not rightly know how to rectify at the moment. But rest assure, rectify he would. 

Loki rounded the corner, golden bars illuminated softly the solitary cell holding a lone figure. Using his Sedir to cloak himself amongst the shadows, Loki moved stealthily down the hallway, green eyes fixated on the now stirring woman. He watched her like a predator watched its prey, his movements just as predatory in nature as his gaze. He saw her slowly rise from the cold, hard stone, her shoes making a sharp clack as they hit the floor. As she stood to her full height, Loki was able to finally get a decent look at the woman in question. She was petite, she looked as if she would barely come to his chest he noted, but she was also voluptuous and curvaceous. He noted the thin silk top she wore, emerald green... his color. His eyes also couldn't help but miss the fullness of her breasts in the top nor the hard peaks that strained against the thin material. He watched her rub her upper arms with her hands as a shiver ran through her body, and a dark smile curved about his lips. The woman was cold. He had been told before that below the palace was gripped in an icy grasp, yet to him it felt just as temperate as anywhere else thanks to his frost giant blood. And while the woman was here of no fault of her own, the idea of her discomfort gave him a sick thrill. Watching her nipples get harder and harder from the cold, made Loki lick his lips in satisfaction. 

His eyes continued their perusal, taking in the tight black skirt that hugged her full hips and bottom. He noted the torn sheer black stockings she wore, and it only added to his growing excitement as he imagined his hands ripping the transparent material with barely any effort. Loki let his silent gaze wander back up the woman's body before he finally allowed himself to gaze upon her face. It was as if the breath was knocked from his lungs as his loins stirred to an uncomfortable point. Her body was full and luscious, but her face was simply stunning. Even behind the hideous spectacles she wore, Loki could see the bright, unusual color of her lilac eyes. Her skin was a creamy alabaster, her hair a rich ochre. And by Norns, her full dusky-pink lips had him entranced in sinful thoughts. He watched her reach a trembling hand towards the bars, before being drawn back quickly. The surprise and flash of pain that crossed her features caused Loki to smirk again with a twisted pleasure. But it was quickly replaced as he watched her collapse to her knees, her face contorted in sheer anguish as silent cries tore her mouth open. He watched her full chest rise and fall, the breaths getting shallower. 

A deep scowl crossed his face, confused at the woman before him. Suddenly the woman sunk to the floor, her head smashing on the stone with a sickening thud and her eyes fluttering closed. Loki threw off his disguise, and ran forward, motioning at the bars with his magic causing them to disappear. He knelt down beside the woman, his long fingers feeling around gingerly through her hair to the back of her head. His fingertips felt the large knot that was beginning to form and the dampness that had begun to mat her hair. Drawing his hand back, his frown intensified on his pale features at the bright scarlet wetness that stained his digits. Swearing loudly, Loki drew strength from his Sedir as a warm light began to glow from his hands. Letting the magic flow from him into the woman, he used his dark gift to heal the wound. Her eyelids flickered momentarily as those amethyst blue orbs fastened on his with a bewildered look before a sense of recognition followed by fear flashed on her face.  
“You”, she whispered.  
Loki cocked his head to the side, as he studied the Midgardian woman. “Me”, he stated sardonically, a wicked smile beginning to curve about his lips.  
The woman opened her mouth wide, taking a deep breath before letting out a throaty scream. Loki's black eyebrows shot up to his hairline in surprise. “Stop it, you foolish mortal”, he spat out. But the woman just screamed even louder, her cries splitting the deep silence of the cell. Loki narrowed his eyes at the small figure as she scrambled away from him. Moving quickly forward to close the gap between them, Loki's long fingers closed around her thin neck as he brought his face mere inches from hers. “I said to stop”, he said with a soft lethalness, squeezing her throat tighter with each word spoken. The woman's eyes shone even brighter, if that was possible, with big unshed tears.  
“Please”, she choked out.  
Loki smiled wider, a cold toothy grin. “Please?”, he growled, “please what?”  
The woman clawed at the hand around her throat, her eyes frantic as the air in her lungs burned slowly out. “Please, please... PLEASE,” she cried in a breathy, and strained voice.  
The god of mischief chuckled lowly as his hand lessened its grip and passed over her form, lighting it up with the same golden green light from before. Her eyes widened once as her feet lifted slightly off the black stone before her head snapped forward and laid against her chest.  
“Shush”, Loki murmured, his hand caressing her face. “Sleep now little one.” 

His hand ghosting over her jaw before his knuckles swept across her slightly parted lips. He felt the leather of his pants press against his shaft uncomfortably. Dark thoughts flashed through his mind as his hand traveled lower to the woman's still peaked nipples. Green eyes focused on the woman's sleeping face as two fingers pinched and twisted the hard points roughly, his pupils dilating with pleasure at the breathy sigh that escaped her lips. Giving her nipple one more tug, Loki dropped his hands and watched as a small frown formed between the mortal's eyes and her mouth puckered into a slight pout. A pulse point in her long neck beat erratically, causing the god to lean forward and press a wet kiss on the spot, suckling slightly. 

“Even in the embrace of my Sedir's slumber, you wantonly yearn for my touch,” Loki mused out loud. His cock was throbbing uncomfortably at this point, begging for release, and not just from the tight confines of his leather breeches. He licked up from the pulse point on the woman's neck to her jawline, before catching her full bottom lip between his teeth. A growl broke the silence of the cold room, as Loki threw the woman away from him. He was many things, but he would not rape this woman... at least not while she slumbered. He preferred a conscious participant, whether willing or not was totally up to the mortal. 

He would take her, he could feel the burn that pulsed through his veins for this slip of a woman. Infatuation some would call it, but Loki knew that his lust would not be sated by one of his many whores. Not while this voluptuous, beautiful, intoxicatingly... fragile... mortal woman resided under the roof of his palace. Another breathy sigh came from the woman, causing Loki's eyes to shoot up to her face, a wicked smile playing once more about his lips. He saw her long black lashes flutter against her flushed cheeks. But by Norns, those hideous things that surrounded her eyes had to go, he thought to himself. Reaching up, Loki snatched the thick frames from the slumbering woman's face and threw them to the ground, crushing them under the heel of his black boot. “Better”, he said aloud, appreciating the unencumbered view of the mortal's face.  


“My lord”, a questioning voice broke through the god King's thoughts.  
Loki turned around swiftly, green cloak billowing behind him as he did so. The head of his Royal Guard stood just outside the cell in the black hallway, two handmaids flanking his sides.  
“My lord”, the man said again, this time with more bravery than he had the first time. “I was briefed on the... situation”, he said carefully, his eyes shifting to the sleeping mortal woman who floated just to the left of his King. “I took the liberty to bring two of the palace's best, and most discreet, maids with me... in case the lady should be in need of...assistance.”  
Loki waved his hand impatiently. “This is fine, Volory. The maids may go up to the chamber adjoining mine and have a bath drawn in it.”  
The guard's eyebrows cocked slightly before he wiped the surprise from his face. “Yes, my lord”, he said quietly, motioning the two women off with a silent nod of his head. “Would you like me to transport the lady to said chambers”,he asked as the handmaidens left.  
Loki shook his head once, “There is no need. She is under Sedir sleep, I will use it to have her placed in my chambers.”  
The guard nodded, turning on his heel to leave.  
“Oh, and Volory”, Loki said in a quietly lethal voice. “Make sure our guest's presence goes undetected. Answer no questions. And for their sake's, I hope the discretion of your two maids is as exemplary as you claim.” The god waved his hand in dismissal, his eyes cold and hard as they watched the head of his guard back away from the cell swiftly.


	2. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Smut and non-consensual sex heavy in this chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

Charlie awoke once more lying atop a bed. Except this time, instead of cold, hard black stone, she was lying in the largest bed she had ever seen in her life. Swathed in black silk and green brocade with giant bronze columns rising from the four corners, her eyes darted around at the sumptuous setting she now found herself a part of. But while she could see the details of the huge bed she lay in, her eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the rest of her surroundings.  
“What”, she murmured to herself, blinking rapidly, trying to focus on anything in the room besides the bedding. Without thinking, Charlie reached a hand up to the bridge of her nose, intent on pushing her glasses higher on her face. Instead her fingertips were met with bare skin. A frown marred her features.  


“What in god's name is going on here,” she shouted into the silence of the room.  


“I believe the god's name you are looking for would be Loki”, a deep voice drawled from one side of the room.  


The blood in Charlie's veins turned to ice. That voice. She knew that voice. She'd heard that voice. For years after the attack in New York, that voice had haunted her dreams. She didn't even need her glasses to see in her mind's eye the face that accompanied that voice. She knew that by heart as well. It had filled those nightmares along with that cold, calculating voice.  
“You”, she stammered.  


Loki pushed his lean body from the shadows of the wall where he had been perched, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “That is the second time you have said that to me, Midgardian.” He stalked to the bed and placed two pale hands on the black silk that enshrouded the curvy figure in his bed. His face came to a sharp halt in front of the woman's. “If you don't want what happens next to be highly unpleasant for you, my dear, I would suggest two things from here on out. Firstly, you will address me with the respect deserving a king and a god, as I am both here. And secondly”, his emerald eyes boring into Charlie's violet ones as his breath fanned coolly against her lips, “you will explain how it is that you seem to know me”.  


Charlie's breathing hitched in the back of her throat, her eyes wide with fear before being replaced with indignation. Anger began to burn through her, boiling away at her, clawing its way past all reason and rationale. “How dare you”, she whispered lethally, her nostrils flaring with outrage. Two small hands balled into fists before they landed harshly on the pale god's chest, pummeling hard. “You fucking murderous snake”, she spat as she raised her hand again to land another blow on the surprised man still leaning deadly close over her reclining figure.  


Loki's fingers closed around the woman's wrist in a vise-like grip. “I gave you two options, neither of which you have seemed to heed. Now, you will know what the punishment of a god feels like... do not say that you were not warned.”  


Charlie pulled at her wrist, gasping at the crushing pain that the pale grasp caused her. She felt the betrayal of tears forming behind her eyes. She would not cry, she would not show weakness before this man, she would not give him the sick satisfaction of seeing that. Swallowing down her tears, she turned her face defiantly up to his, her face contorted in disgust,“What more can be expected from a monster”, she said coldly.  


The god's eyes widened a bit at her venom, before narrowing again. A wicked glint in them, as his mouth curled up cruelly. Placing a hand over his heart in mock indignation, Loki closed his eyes dramatically, letting out a loud sigh. “Oh you simple, thankless Midgardian”. Opening those icy green eyes, glinting from his pale face like hard emerald stones, Loki fastened in on the mortal woman's face with his deadly, predatory gaze. “Have I not treated you kindly? I healed your wounded head, had you bathed, perfumed, dressed in fine clothing. I had you placed in my own private chambers, my personal royal bed”, he said with a flick of his wrist, motioning towards all the finery that surrounded them. “I have been nothing if not fair to you, a mere mortal. A Midgardian woman who was captured to be a slave here, on a foreign world. Yet, I did not have you sent to the market. I did not have you stripped naked to stand there on a platform for lecherous old men to ogle you, to... sample your wares.” At this, Loki's free hand reached forward to graze against the tops of her cleavage that spilled out from the white gown she wore.  


Charlie jerked back violently. “Don't you dare touch me”, she whispered hoarsely. “I have had a life time's worth of your kind's barbarous touch.” Taking the god by surprise caused his grip to loosen just enough for Charlie to wrench her wrist free. Kicking savagely at the man, she used the momentum to shoot off the bed. A thundering roar echoed around the room, as Loki bounded up towards the woman. Charlie looked back over her shoulder at the enclosing figure. The room was large, and she could barely see ten steps in front of her, but she could see that she was close enough to a large door and far enough away from the god behind her. At least that's what she thought, that's what her eyes told her. But the strong grasp on her upper arms as she turned her head back towards the door told her otherwise.  


“What... no. No.” She looked up, the dark god's hands firmly holding her in place. “But...”, she stammered. Charlie turned her head sharply back, to see the same god behind her, stalking her with a methodical sureness. The woman shook her head in disbelief, muttering to herself as those damnable tears threatened to finally fall.  


“You should never underestimate a god”, a smooth voice murmured into her hair from behind her. Charlie felt two more cool hands place themselves on her shoulders, running across her collarbone, before reaching up to grasp her neck. “As curious as I am about you, Midgardian, there will be time enough for interrogation later.” Loki spun the woman around, as his double disappeared with a hazy glow. “But first there is the small matter of your punishment”, he whispered against her temple, one hand still closed ominously around her neck, the other roaming the expanse of her back in wide, measured strokes.  


“Please”, Charlie pleaded, her tears finally flowing freely. “Don't do this.”  


Loki's chest rumbled with laughter, but his eyes held no warmth. “Save your tears. I warned you there would be consequences for your actions... and now, well here we are.”  


She was hardly aware of them moving across the room until the back of her legs brushed up against something solid. Charlie looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening with an unspoken fear at the bed behind her.  


“Oh my god”, she cried.  


“No, not just a god. But, Loki, god of mischief and lies. The king and savior of Asgard and Jotunheim. You would do well to remember the name Midgardian, you shall be screaming it soon enough.”  
The hand stroking her back suddenly stopped, coming around to stroke her cheek... almost tenderly.  


“No”, Charlie repeated, her head whipping side to side. “You cannot do this. I will not let you do this...”  


“You won't let me”, Loki asked incredulously. “Let me? How dare you, a mere pathetic worm of a human being. A fragile sack of soft flesh, and sinew, and blood. Your life is as insignificant and frail as your weak mortal body. I am a KING, a GOD. I have roamed the nine realms for a thousand years and you have the audacity to deny me... nay, the audacity to forbade me?!” His voice bellowed throughout the room, reverberating through her whole being.  
“I was going to make this pleasurable for you Midgardian, show you not only the depth of my mercy as a ruler but my generosity as a lover. But now”, he continued, chuckling menacingly, “Now you shall truly see the fury of the god before you. You will taste and feel my rage before this day is over, and you will be screaming my name by the end, Midgardian. But not from pleasure, oh no little one. You will be screaming my name in defeat and submission at the very feet of your new master.” Loki pushed her down roughly on the bed, her body flayed and flailing as she hit the soft surface. Charlie used her elbows to push herself up, her feet kicking and scrambling to get the upper ground.  


“Fight me if you will”, Loki said, as that green glow surrounded her body causing her clothing to disappear. “But know that you cannot and will not win against me.”  
Charlie let out a small yelp as the cool air hit her now naked body. Her face burned a bright scarlet as she saw the god begin to crawl above her, the roughness of the leather and armor he wore scratching at her tender flesh. Her fear was palpable. It left a tangible bitter taste in her mouth. She knew what was about to happen. She may not be the most sexually experienced woman out there, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt what was going to occur. The bitter, metallic taste in her mouth kept growing, as did her body's response to the fear coiling in her belly. 

Reaching her hand back, Charlie tried to hit at the pale god looming over her. Only to have her arms jerked above her head, one of his large hands trapping her wrists against the bed. His other hand closed again over her throat, for the third time this day. “I am not against tying you up completely, or using my Sedir to render you unable to move”, Loki breathed above her, his cock pressing hard through his pants against her thigh. “But, where oh where is the fun in that”, he said as his lips crashed into hers roughly. 

Charlie kept her mouth closed tight, her legs scrambling beneath her until she felt the god shift himself slightly, trapping them with the weight of his body. Loki ran his tongue over her lips, prying at them with a steadily increasing pressure to no avail. His eyes were wide opened and challenging as they peered down at her. Removing his hand from the base of her throat, Loki place it over her nose, pinching the bridge closed. Charlie's eyes grew larger, bright with tears as her face turned red. Opening her lips involuntarily to gasp for air, her senses were overwhelmed as the wetness of his tongue invaded the soft recesses of her mouth. His fingers fell from her nose, reaching up to entangle themselves in the riotous mess of her curls, pulling harshly. Charlie let out a small cry at the sharp pain, only causing his teeth to sink down onto her bottom lip. The small discomfort from the tug of her hair was nothing compared to the pain that shot through her body as his teeth continued to sink into her tender and swollen lip. 

Charlie could taste blood in her mouth, and could feel it trickling down her chin, dripping onto her breasts. Bucking her hips violently against the unyielding weight of the god, she tried anything to get him off of her. Loki's mouth left hers, licking at the small trickle of blood on her lips before following it down her chin to her breasts. Charlie could see the ruby color of his lips, tinged brutally by her blood.  
“Snake”, she hissed at him.  


Loki stopped his rough, wet kisses against her hot skin, as his head raised slowly to look at the woman beneath him. He smiled wickedly at her, before flipping her over quickly to her stomach, her rounded ass high in the bed. Charlie jerked her body again, trying to get this man, this god off her.  


Loki growled softly. “Stop”, he commanded. “Or I will restrain you.”  


“Fuck you”, Charlie spat out, her voice garbled against the bedding she found her face pressed into.  


“Tsk, tsk, tsk”, he clicked at her. “Fine. Have it your way. Maybe your kind learns better with force.”  


Charlie felt a warmth spread over her body, as her legs and arms were jerked savagely apart and held captive against the four pillars of the bed by an invisible force. She felt his cool fingertips graze over her bare ass, gently kneading the soft flesh. Despite her fear, Charlie found herself almost leaning into his hand, her body wantonly betraying her at the pleasantness of his touch. 

As if reading her very thoughts, Loki laughed softly. “Enjoying ourselves, are we”, he stated more than asked.  


“You wish”,Charlie retorted back, causing the god to only laugh deeper.  


“Do not lie to the god of lies, little one. I can feel you practically preening for my touch, yearning for it”, his breath curling about the shell of her ear, as he ground his hips into her.  


“Go to hell.”  


A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the chamber, followed by a strangled cry from the small woman. A large red welt marred the perfect alabaster skin of the ass before him. Loki felt his shaft twitching as he licked his lips in anticipation. Another loud crack, another red mark, another cry from the woman, this time louder and throatier. “Scream for me”, he said viciously, his eyes wild. Again, his hand raised back before coming down hard on her crimson cheeks. And again despite trying to hold it in, the woman's cries split the room, her ragged breathing mixed in. Another smack, another cry. Again and again, this continued. 

Loki felt his darkness take hold of him, his pleasure growing more and more at the breaking of this woman. He needed to be in her,... now. Using his dark gift to remove his own clothes, Loki put one hand under the woman's stomach and pulled her up. She had stopped crying out, making only a soft, strangled sob of a sound every few moments. Lining himself at her entrance, Loki grasped her hip tightly with one hand, while the other clutched her tightly from below. “What is the name of your god”, he asked triumphantly above her. The woman remained silent, causing Loki's frustration to grow as he growled low.  


“You will say it... before I am done you will scream it, Midgardian”, he said menacingly before plunging his length into her, bottoming out fully.  


Charlie bucked forward wildly, screaming as she felt her walls stretch and burn in response to the god's overwhelming size. Her arms jerked against her restraints, trying in vain to stop the onslaught of pain that filled her core.  


The response of the woman beneath him caused Loki to groan deeply, his fingers digging painfully into her hips as he pulled his length out with a painful slowness. “My name”, he questioned again, the throbbing tip of his cock pressed ominously at her opening. 

Charlie shook her head, her tears falling heavily. Loki closed his eyes as he plunged once more into her tight warmth. Again, she screamed, and again he questioned her. He had to marvel at the resilience of this human. The routine of the spanking had now evolved into constant plunges of Loki's shaft into the woman's dripping slit. He could feel himself at the brink, and still the stubborn mortal had not said his name. She would say his name, he thought to himself. Loosening his grip from her hips, Loki's hands snaked their way underneath her. One hand finding the bundle of nerves at the apex of her opening, the other reaching up to fondle her breasts. 

He leaned himself over her, his member still plowing into her at an intense speed. “Let go for me”, he whispered against her ear. “Just let it go. Say the name of your god. And it will all end. It will all be over. But you have to let go first, little one.” His fingers played her body expertly, their coolness against her own violent heat stark in contrast. Charlie was ready for this to end. She didn't want to give into his demands, to his sick satisfaction. But her body, mind, and spirit were drained, and she was just ready for the torture to end. Her body was lecherously betraying her, she would be foolish to say that she wasn't aroused at this violent bombardment. And she hated herself for it. She hated her weakness. She hated the building orgasm that she could feel rising to the surface as his cock plowed into her and his digits skillfully teased her clit. Her mind told her to just give in, like he said, get it over with. But her pride kept her right on the edge of bliss, her mouth closed tight against the name that threatened to rise its way out of her throat.  


Loki could feel the tremble in the woman's body, he knew she was close but she was holding herself back, still unyielding to him fully. This damned mortal will scream for me, he thought viciously. Angling his hips, Loki pulled himself almost completely out of her slick folds before inching in slowly, rubbing himself roughly against her inner walls. His finger increased their pressure and speed on her front as his thick shaft found the sweet spot inside of her it had been searching for. The woman suddenly let out a guttural cry as her body went rigid and her walls clenched down tightly on his cock. Loki felt the waves of her pleasure rolling through her body, as he picked up speed and thrust into her faster. He could feel himself about to join her on her high, but he held back, waiting for her to finally scream his name. 

“Say it”, he said softly. The woman only moaned into the black silk beneath her, her body still rigid. 

“I said, say it”, Loki said louder this time, smacking her still scarlet ass as his cock rubbed against her spot again. His right hand left its ministrations on her breasts, to wrap around her neck, squeezing slightly. “Who. Is. Your. God”, he asked one more time, thrusting hard into her with each word. 

He felt her body convulse under him, her hips bucking wildly, lost in his domination. “Fuck, Loki”, she screamed out.  


“Ah... yesss. That's it, little one”, he whispered, before plowing into her one more time, letting his seed spill deep into her womb. His orgasm shook him to his core, as he closed his eyes on the battered woman weeping before him. His fingers stopped their ministrations on her swollen clit, as his cock pulled out of her with a torturous stillness. 

The woman sagged against her invisible bonds, her curls damp with perspiration and clinging to her face. “Loki. Loki. Loki”, she sobbed as her body trembled with aftershocks.  


He ran a hand over her head, his Sedir glowing around her, as the invisible bonds holding her up disappeared.  
“Shhh”, he shushed softly. “Rest. It is all over now.”  


His magic continued to spread over her, bathing her in a hazy light as she felt herself growing increasingly drowsy.“Why did it have to be you”, she mumbled sleepily, her eyes blinking up at him with a dazed expression as a strange look crossed his pale features.  


“I said rest.”  
And with that Charlie, the frail, Midgardian mortal drifted off to deep slumber, her body already marked with bruises from her first punishment by a god.


	3. Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys! Life has been... a bit hectic as of late. Thank you for your patience, and for those of you who have commented! I appreciate it so much!! Comments give me LIFE :) Anyway, without further ado... Chapter 3! Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

Loki sat behind the massive desk that occupied one corner of the room, his green eyes glazed over, lost in deep thought. His body still hummed with pleasure from the Midgardian who currently occupied his chambers, entrenched inside his magic slumber. It should be some hours yet before she awoke. 

He had thought his lust had been spent from his explosive encounter with the woman. But, as he looked across to her warm, soft form spread out against the black luxury of his bed, he could feel the wicked hunger growing within him. 

The intrinsic selfishness of his nature called out to him, to wake the woman and to drive himself deep within her fiery core. However, those sharp eyes of his needn't look too hard to see the dark bruises that marred her otherwise perfect skin. The dark marks echoed her fragility, her mortality to the young god. But they also stirred a sadistic gratification in him as well. 

A smile played on his thin lips. Maybe he didn't need to wake the chit at all. His eyes gleamed wickedly. Perhaps he'd just let her sleep, satiate himself in her body, then use his Sedir to heal her... she'd certainly be none the wiser. 

Pushing away from his desk with lithe movements, Loki stalked across the room towards the Midgardian. Cloaked only in a billowing robe, his shaft rose out from his naked body ominously. The mere idea of being encased within the woman's tight cunt again aroused the god into an almost manic frenzy. Climbing on the bed, Loki crawled across the soft darkness towards his sleeping mortal. 

“Nooo”, a wail sliced through the room. 

Loki stopped in his tracks. Sitting back on his heels beside the woman, a deep vee formed between his black eyebrows as he stared at the writhing figure. 

“No, no, no!” 

A fine sheen covered the sleeping woman, her face contorted in pain, limbs thrashing around wildly. Sobs were wracking her body, as whimpers and cries and garbled words poured from her throat. Loki tried to make sense of the fragmented speech but all he could understand was the vast sense of pain and fear that poured from the Midgardian. 

“Please”, she whimpered 

Her body was trembling violently, trying to wake itself from the nightmare she was ensnared in yet unable to fight against the conjuring she was under. 

At the soft plea, Loki made to move over the woman. Placing one knee on each side of her, he straddled the prostrate figure as he placed two fingers against her temples. Using his magic to enter her mind, he was plunged suddenly into a familiar scene: New York... six years ago. 

He watched as the stage of his grand attack was set. He witnessed the crumbling debris that rained down on the vast city below as the Chitauri army tore through buildings. He saw his little Midgardian woman, standing in the streets, her hair shorter than it was now, the terror on her face evident as she tried to shield a group of teens. 

That's when he saw himself, skin pallid with a sickly gleam. His eyes were feral and deliriously bright with possession from the tessaract. His memories of this time, of his attack on Midgard, were hazy at best and terrifying at worst. He saw the glowing blue staff in his hand as he strode menacingly towards the woman and the small group that cowered behind her. 

Loki dropped his hands abruptly from the slumbering woman, and closed his eyes tightly, breathing in deeply as he tried to steady his mind. The memory he had placed himself in moments before had caused him to break out into a cold sweat. 

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Loki counted slowly backwards from 10. 10...9...8...He felt his heart begin to slow down to normal. 7... 6...5... his breathing became more even. 4... 3... 2... ..... 

“Loki”, the hushed, breathy voice shook him from his mental counting. 

He opened his eyes slowly. Wide, amethyst ones peered up at him with a naive bewilderment. 

“What are you doing”, Charlie whispered. 

Turning his head away from her for just a brief moment, Loki looked back at the woman with a biting smile, his cool mask firmly back in place. “Fucking you, little one”, he said mischievously as his lips ghosted over hers with a soft sensuality. 

Charlie gasped as his lips latched onto hers, his tongue battling for domination and control. His cool touch was everywhere at once on her body; caressing, teasing, pinching, palming. Her mind couldn't process the assault, her head still swimming from the deep sleep she had been under. 

His hands and mouth felt so good, but Charlie's brain kept sending red flairs of alarm to the forefront. Her memory flashed disjointed images behind her eyes. Her capture, New York, Loki plunging into her body as she screamed his name, her students huddled behind her in panic, the tenderness with which he stroked her cheek... the projections were all jumbled together, the only constant in any of them was this pale god straddling her. 

“Loki”, she breathed again, this time placing two small hands on his bare chest and pushing him slightly off of her. 

His eyes locked onto hers, confusion and annoyance tinging their emerald depths. “I can't do this... we can't do this”, Charlie murmured quietly. She made to move from under the god, but two sinewy arms snaked up to push her back onto the bed with a sure firmness. 

“Be still”, Loki hissed out, the anger clearly etched on his features. 

Charlie blinked rapidly. She thought after their night together... she thought she had seen another side to him. Despite his domination of her, she thought she had felt a tenderness and warmth in the end. 

But as she looked up into his stormy features, an icy fear gripped her. There was no warmth, no tenderness, no emotion on the god's face except for wrath and arousal. Tears welling in her eyes, Charlie felt her aggravation at her own naive stupidity. 

She knew what this man was, she had already seen what kind of evil consumed him. Why did she think spreading her legs for him changed that? How absolutely stupid had she been, abandoning all reason in bed with him. Did she really think that after it all, he would just... let her go? 

“Monster”, she cried, her hands beating at his cold, hard body in a vain attempt to get him off of her. “You kidnapping, raping, sadist fuck!” 

Loki's hands gripped hers tightly, pulling her arms down beside her body. “Oh stop your blubbering, you foolish mortal. I am hardly to blame for your being here. And as for the raping, as you so coarsely put it, I didn't hear you complaining when my cock was plunging into you.” 

At those last words he ground his hips insidiously against her center. “You know this will happen, whether you are willing or not. But your body is already responding to mine ”, he said against her neck. “I can feel, taste, and practically smell your arousal Midgardian.” Loki's mouth kissed and suckled on her neck. His tongue made swirls against her pulse as his lips pressed hotly on the blistering skin. “Just yield to me”, he voiced. 

Charlie felt as if her mind was going to rip in two. She knew that the words he spoke, with the cool lethalness of a snake coiling around its prey, held some truth. Her body was reacting to his touch, betraying a desire for the sensuality of him. But her mind... her mind screamed in protest and disgust, both at the god above her and her traitorous body. 

She felt his lips trace over her body. His hot mouth placed feather light kisses over the sharp collarbones that jutted out above her chest. His tongue lapped at the small dip at the base of her throat. A groan escaped her mouth when one cool hand left her wrist to knead at her full breasts, his fingertips reaching down to pinch at her nipples with a sharp twist. 

Loki grinned salaciously against her neck, before pulling back and staring down at the woman. His eyes held a dangerous gleam to them. “Open your eyes and look at me”, he commanded. 

Charlie shook her head slightly, her eyes still screwed up tightly against the assault of her body. 

Loki clicked his tongue. “I said open your eyes and look at the gift of your god before you.” 

The brunette kept her eyes closed, her head turned to the side as she willed her body limp, to not react to his mouth or his hands or even his words. Detach yourself she chanted over and over in her mind, ignoring the impatient huffs that came from the man hovering over her. 

She felt his thick cock pressing against her entrance threateningly. She knew it would only be mere seconds before he pushed himself into her and the ravishment of her body and mind began anew. Only mere seconds before her torment and her pleasure became one and the same. 

“You are not my god”, she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as she turned her head to him and opened her eyes, luminously bright with tears as they bored into the hard emerald orbs above her. “You are a monster. No, not a monster... a demon.” 

A growl escaped Loki's throat, his eyes narrowed to slits as he listened to the tirade, the steady coil of rage burning deep within his stomach. 

“You can force yourself on me all you want”, she continued, “you can even take my stupid body's physiological responses to you for true pleasure. But know this, that in my mind there is nothing but revulsion every time your pathetic coldness touches me”, her voice had grown louder as she spat out the last words. 

In a flash of paleness, Loki's hand had reached up and landed across the woman's cheek, knocking her back against the pillows, his other closing tightly around her neck. Another feral growl rose from deep within his body. 

“The only pathetic one here is you, you stupid Midgardian. You can pretend all you like with that infantile and imbecilic mortal mind of yours' that you didn't want what has happened to you, but we both know how delusional that is.” 

His face was inches from hers, his breath both strangely heated and cool at the same time. Charlie saw the possessed look in his eyes, the hurt coupled with the vanity of his conceited ego. She closed her eyes briefly to the unhinged man before her, opening them once more with a resigned sadness fixed firmly on her face. 

Her voice was steady, despite her lack of air and the tears that streamed freely down her face, leaving small rivets of wetness across her rapidly bruising cheek. 

“Your beautiful, maniacal face has tortured me for six years. I was a fool to think that the evilness that is you, Loki of Asgard, was only a memory at this point. And an even bigger fool to think I would ever escape your evil grasp for a second time. I am going to die here... in this beautiful place, at your beautiful hands and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Because that is what a god does, isn't it? They take and they manipulate every single thing they touch until it crumbles into ashes beneath their foot.” 

Her words felt like a punch to the man's gut. His eyes blinked rapidly as his hands fell from her neck. Sitting up sharply, Loki's jaw twitched tightly. 

Her large, violet eyes were peering up at him still, their piercing depths filled with both confusion and knowledge simultaneously. Her chest rose and fell deeply, as if she was trying to catch her breath. Loki saw the deep shadow of a bruise that had now started to fully bloom across her left cheek. Its harshness should have marred the appearance of the woman, but it only added to the haunted beauty of her tear-stained face and unsettling eyes. Her lips were swollen still from his ravishment, her hair like a wild and dark halo about her pale face. 

Loki sucked in a sudden breath, before placing his hands to her temples once more, noting the fear in her eyes and the flinch of her skin at his touch. He felt his magic flow into her, warm and overwhelming as it coursed from his body into hers. He let her emotions run through his veins, he felt her terror and her passion, her anger and her lust. He felt her darkness and her light, and in turn he let her feel his. 

He watched as her eyes widened, his own greedily drinking in her innocent sensuality. He felt himself standing at the edges of her depths, about to fall headfirst. A mewl escaped her parted lips, shaking him from his captivity. 

With an impatient sigh, his lips thinned into a tight line. Waving his hands over her in a swift movement, Loki expelled his last bit of energy to place his little mortal once again under magical slumber. 

The next time she awoke, she would be back in her own bed and would have no memory of this place or of him, he promised to himself as a strange sense of sadness overtook him. He placed a soft, lingering kiss on her rosy lips. 

“Goodbye little Midgardian”, he breathed into her hair, before turning to leave his chambers and the sleeping woman.


	4. Relapse & Remorse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Non-Con Sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!   
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.   
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

Loki sat on the throne of Asgard, surrounded by such splendor that even his ostentatious golden horned helmet and shinning golden armor seemed natural. Two men stood before him, arguing over some sort of merchant's quarrel. His attention should be on his special council. Regardless how insignificant the qualms of these people might seem, Loki knew that every ruler was only as good as the upper hand he held over his subjects. Yet, as hard as he tried, his mind could not help straying to the mortal woman he had left lying in his bed this morning, still firmly entranced within magical sleep.

He had spent the dark hours of early dawn gently caressing the soft curves of her body as she slumbered innocently and blissfully unaware of the god's consummation of her form. And he had pulled sweet sighs from her lips despite this fact. As the gilded tendrils of sunlight finally streamed through his chambers, Loki left with an urgency that betrayed his inner conflict. His little Midgardian would be leaving, her memory of him and of this place wiped clean by the best magical healers of Asgard. And with her went the unfamiliar and foreign emotions that conflicted him.

Loki's attention was suddenly pulled back to his council, as one of its members had taken the place of the merchants to discuss, of all things, his all but defunct brother. The council member was droning on about Thor's whereabouts, and questioning if perhaps it was time for Asgard to extend a formal invitation to its former heir apparent.

Rising slowly from his throne, Loki turned a dark scowl on the man, his jaw tight.

“Do you dare to question my authority", he asked lethally.

The man stammered an apology, eyes darting around to his fellow council members for support. “My lord, tis not my intention. I just meant, there has never been a formal abdication of the throne from Thor Odinsson. I only say this to protect your rule, your throne from usurpation.”

“Usurpation”, Loki screamed, eyes dark with rage, face contorted in fury. “I am the rightful King of Asgard and Jotunheim. This is my birth right! Thor abandoned this realm for his pathetic Midgard. His name holds no more claim now to this throne... to MY THRONE... than yours does, you half-witted fool.”

At this, Loki motioned for his guards. “Take this traitorous worm from my sight”, he said coldly, his eyes scanning the rest of his council in challenge. “And let this be a warning to anyone else who challenges his king, that treason will not be tolerated.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie sat at the window, her mind joyously silent. Her violet eyes scanned the scene below, her feet curled under her body as her fingers toyed absentmindedly the pages of the book in her lap. She could feel the breeze on her bare shoulders from the opened window, its warmth intoxicating and beckoning. A faint smile played on her full lips. She hummed softly a favorite song about love being patient, and fine, and balanced, and kind. A slow and sad song with a hauntingly beautiful tune that made Charlie feel strangely emotional. A feeling she couldn't put her finger on, but the ache was so tangible that it caused her eyes to fill suddenly with tears. As the breeze continued to play over her skin, she lay down against the soft plushness of the window seat with a discontented sigh, her mind suddenly not so silent as it was before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki burst through his chambers, cursing loudly his brother's very existence. Even on a completely different realm, Thor still haunted him. Would he never be free of the looming shadow of his golden sibling? The anger that coursed through his veins caused his skin to shimmer back and forth between pale flesh and Jotun blue.

Taking a steadying breath, Loki reached out a hand towards one of the looming pillars of his bed grasping it tightly as his body shook violently. Eyes of emerald one moment flashed red the next. He looked frantically around his room trying to focus on something, anything with which to execute his wrath upon.

That's when he saw it. The small slip of gauzy white lying against green velvet, eyes closed peacefully as the breeze from the opened window played about her curls. At that moment, his rage consumed him as his dark nature took control.

Striding across the room with deadly stealth, Loki pulled the sleeping girl up roughly against him, her eyes flying open in confusion as her mouth opened with a small yelp.

“Loki”, she breathed in surprise, her eyes warming slightly towards him.

The god just ignored her, his madness burning like a fire in him, blinding him. Ripping her dress from her body, Loki threw the woman to the floor, her palms and knees hitting the stone with a sickening smack. Her cries of surprise quickly became sobs of fear and pain as she scrambled against the cold rock trying to escape the raging animal who descended upon her with no mercy.

Loki freed himself from the confines of his armor and plunged into the mortal from behind, her screams echoing around the chamber at the sudden onslaught. His mind was in turmoil from her cries, even as his body soared with twisted pleasure. Why couldn't she have just been gone, he thought to himself as he sought to justify his actions.

Her body writhed under him, from pain or from pleasure, it made no difference to the unhinged god.

“Do you not see that this where you belong? Beneath me, filled with my cock, begging me. Submitting to me. To you god”, he said cruelly.

Charlie stiffened in defiance at his words. “Go fuck yourself”, she said with all the strength she could muster to keep her voice from trembling. But as he pounded into her, she couldn't help the guttural cry that passed her lips as he scraped himself against her center harshly.

Loki chuckled, his hands digging into the soft flesh of her hips painfully. “Nothing arouses me more than hearing those delicious screams of yours escape your sweet lips as I drive myself into your core”, he breathed into her ear as he pulled her body up flush to his, hands fondling her breasts roughly.

Charlie closed her eyes, her mind trying to escape the dominating, blistering, violent fucking Loki was forcing upon her. Despite their past times coming together, there would be no pleasure for her on this day. Loki was governed by his anger, and his anger alone. And when she sensed him finally shudder above her, his rage totally expended at the expense of her aching body, she couldn't help but wonder who had been more ravaged by the end of it all.

“Why couldn't you have just been gone already”, he spoke softly to her huddled form on the floor, his face set stonily. Charlie made no attempt to move as he spoke, her naked body sprawled on the floor where he had thrown her, heaving with soft cries.

Loki could still feel his body practically humming with pleasure. But there was also the undeniable stench of disgust that clouded his euphoria in that moment. The sight of this beautiful woman crumpled so miserably on the black stone threw his mind into moral confusion. As he turned to leave the room, the broken woman's sobs following him, of one thing he was certain... there was no way the woman could simply leave now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 days. That's how long it had been. 5 days since Loki, King of Asgard, had ravished her and then left her weeping, alone and naked, on the floor. Solitary confinement at its best. Charlie had no outside contact, she wasn't even sure if the doors were unlocked or not. She hadn't bothered to try. What was the point? Where was she really supposed to go? It wasn't as if she could simply walk outside and catch a cab back home.

So for almost a week now she had stayed in his chambers. Every morning she awoke to the curtains pulled back, windows thrown open to the sun and breeze. Food was brought to her, baths drawn and waiting. Servants came and went, ignoring her presence as if she were simply a very pretty decoration in their king's rooms. On the second morning, Charlie had tried to talk to one of the girls that brought her mid-day meal. She had been met with methodical and intentional silence. After that, she had tucked herself quietly into one of the window seats, her body pressed firmly against the wall, half hidden behind the thick curtains that hung on either side.

She spent her days reading from the shelves that lined Loki's connecting rooms. Some of the books were in languages that Charlie had never even seen before, but she was surprised at the number that were in English. Books that ranged from Shakespeare to Austin to even an unexpected book of Norse Mythology from the Victorian Era.

Despite her languid days, she fell into bed every night with little energy. And every night she would dream. Dreams of her home, of golden fields she had never seen before in her life, of her as a heroine in an Austen novel. But most of her dreams were of him. Of Loki. Every night he visited her at some point in her dreams. Pressing gentle kisses to her temple, watching her through guarded, half-closed eyes full of desire and some other unspoken and unsettling emotion. But every morning she awakened to no sign of the god of mischief. Just the faint, clean scent of cedarwood and bergamot. Loki's scent permeated every object of his that surrounded her in this opulent, dark prison.

On the sixth day, Charlie awoke to the curtains opened as usual. But instead of bright, unyielding sunshine, her bleary eyes were greeted to the cool grayness of clouds and rain. The steady pounding of the rainfall filled the open space with a comforting sound. A week in Asgard and finally she saw something besides perfect, golden weather. She noticed her usual morning tray of fresh fruits, bread, and some sort of Asgardian version of tea that she had grown quite fond of these past few days. Padding over lightly, Charlie popped a piece of fruit in her mouth, savoring the astounding flavor the food here had over anything she had tasted back on Earth.

Grabbing her tea, she made her way towards the bathroom and the waiting stone pit in which she bathed every morning. It was sunken in the middle of the room, and while there were no taps which Charlie could make out, every morning a steaming hot bath waited for her regardless. As she stripped off the pale green silk she wore and stepped into the warm waters, Charlie could not help the sigh of contentment that escaped her lips. Rose scented steam descended around her, tickling her senses and relaxing her body.

Her body slipped under the water, her head lounging lazily against the elevated smooth stone that surrounded the edge of the pool. Charlie let her constant state of on-guard down. It had been almost a week. He had not returned. And the thought of this both eased her mind and added to her restlessness.

A sudden loud crash from the adjoining room jolted her from her thoughts. Was it him? Had he finally... returned? A cold fear clutched at her heart before being overtaken by a strange buzzing feeling throughout her veins... excitement.

Hurriedly she climbed from the sunken tub and dried off. Stepping into the gossamer, sheer gown of gold lace, Charlie crept gingerly towards the door to the next room. Loki was pacing the floor like a caged animal. She made no sound , her body tense as she waited for his attack. The solitude of the past week had been maddening, but she was keenly aware that her body had not fully healed from his last onslaught.

Loki stopped suddenly, and turned sharply towards her. His emerald eyes cagey as he takes in the sight before him. The dreariness of the morning had broken to reveal brilliant sunlight once again over Asgard, and it streamed in the windows now, framing the woman from behind. It made her golden gown seem to glow with an otherworldly light, its transparency silhouetting her curves lusciously. Her dark curls piled on top of her head and cascading gently down her back, the ends still damp from her apparent bath. She looked like a goddess in that moment... like a queen, he thought to himself.

Charlie could not help but notice the way in which his eyes drank her in. The look in them undecipherable. He looked wary, his body held with a rigid stillness, his face ashen with dark, haunting circles beneath those cool green eyes of his.

Suddenly, he held his hand out to her, palm upturned invitingly. His long fingers beckoned to her gently. She stared at those outstretched digits for what felt like a century, her brows knitted together in confusion. Yet, he didn't move. His hand did not drop. His eyes trained on her with a piercing yet pleading stare.

Charlie walked softly towards those green pools and outstretched fingertips. Her bare feet left damp footprints against the black stone as she neared the stock still god, his fingers still extended towards her shakily.

She placed her hand timidly in his, her eyes still locked with his cautiously. His hand closed over hers immediately as soon as her fingertips brushed against his cool skin. He turned to lead her across the room, his mouth closed in complete silence. As she allowed herself to be pulled across the vast chambers, Charlie's eyes landed on the bed and her hand jerked back involuntarily. But his steel grasp held fast as his thumb absentmindedly stroked the top of her hand in... comfort?

With her hand trapped inside his, Charlie had no choice but to nervously follow the mute god. As he closed in on the bed, Loki suddenly spoke.

“Sit”, he said.

Charlie felt his hand drop hers as it held itself over the bed, hovering just above the green brocade.

“Please”, he added softly, his eyes once more meeting hers with a simple plea behind their depths.

Charlie apprehensively obliged, sitting down on the sumptuous luxury of the vast bed. A bed fit for a king, she thought to herself as she sunk into the softness. Loki motioned for her to lean back into the pillows and to place her feet on the bed.

She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest as her ears filled with the sound of her rushing blood. She was convinced, at this point, the pale god before her must certainly be able to hear it too. She wasn't entirely sure what his intentions were, wasn't entirely sure if she should heed the fear in her mind or the butterflies in her stomach. And she cursed herself silently for even feeling either of those things.

Loki climbed onto the bed, his body held carefully over hers as he settled next to her. This was certainly unexpected, she found herself thinking. But then, the most unexpected of all things, as he lay down on the bed, he rested his head against her stomach. Charlie blinked rapidly in confusion, her mouth parted in disbelief.

His arms gently circled her waist, clinging to her cautiously like a child hugging a stranger. She felt a deep tremor pass through his body, like a huge weight was being lifted from his shoulders. She opened her mouth to speak, but felt his arms tighten slightly about her and she just closed her mouth. Instead, she chose to place a hand apprehensively on his head and stroke his hair lightly.

Loki sighed faintly, nuzzling his nose into her soft belly. He didn't utter a word, but stayed lying this way for what seemed like hours, seemingly finding comfort in her embrace. Charlie felt herself relax more and more as the minutes ticked by. Her hand continued to stroke his inky black hair, her fingernails swirling soft circles against his scalp.

She could feel her eyelids growing heavier, her lashes fluttering down against her cheeks. Her hands had stopped their ministrations and had now simply threaded themselves firmly in the hair at the base of his neck. Just as she felt herself begin to drift under, she felt his weight shift as he pulled himself off the bed.

Without thinking, Charlie reached a hand out and placed it on Loki's arm in quiet protest. He turned back to her, looking down at her bewildered face. Her mouth opened and closed several times as if to say something but no words came.

Loki sighed, closing his eyes briefly as he placed two fingers upon her mouth. She stopped floundering for words as his cool fingertips pressed against the silkiness of her lips. Charlie watched his face, eyes closed, brow drawn, lips thinned to a tense line. He looked so... broken, she thought to herself. So alone. So unused to true contact and warmth.

Charlie continued watching him as she felt her lips press a delicate kiss on his fingers. His eyes shot open, molten pools of viridian as he stared at her openly. The look of true surprise on Loki's face was replaced with a tender softness. His hand moved to cup her cheek. A look of sorrow on his face, perhaps even remorse while he caressed her velvety skin.

“Oh little Midgardian”, he breathed at last, eyes still fixed firmly on hers, the frenzied look in them causing Charlie to squirm slightly.

“What are you doing to me? Why can I not relinquish you? Why can I not simply send you back to your realm as I had once intended?”

Her eyes widened. She knew he would never let her go. She wasn't going to ever see her home again. Tears welled traitorously in her bright eyes, causing Loki to swipe at them as they fell with the rough pads of his thumbs.

As if reading her thoughts, Loki spoke again.

“No, I cannot surrender my hold over you, little Midgardian. Not until you fully grasp the unyielding control you seem to have over me.”

With those words, his lips crashed into hers violently, leaving her breathless and astounded as he whispered apologies against her mouth in between each passionate kiss. Breaking free as suddenly as he began, hands splayed against each side of her face, Loki forced her to look up into his dark and beautiful face.

His haunted eyes were damp as he bent to place a solitary, chaste kiss to her temple whispering into her ear. “I do not want you to become ashes beneath my feet little Midgardian.”

Pulling back, he said, “I want more from you... much, much more”.

Turning quickly on his heel, he strode from the room as explosively as when he first entered, leaving the Midgardian woman completely at a loss for words.


	5. Cliff Diving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I am so sorry for the extended time away. Life has been... well, life lately. Work and school and all other manner of adulting has been taking place. Forgive me! For those of you who are still around, thank you!! And I hope you enjoy the update. For some reason, this chapter was EXTREMELY hard for me to get through. I am not 100% happy with it, if I am being completely transparent here with you guys. This chapter is smut heavy/centric, and for some crazy reason unbeknownst to me, it was so difficult to write. I hope you guys can get something out of it. As always, constructive criticism is more than welcome! Without further ado... ladies and lads I present to you, Chapter 5: Cliff Diving  
\- xoxo

_ **He stood over her, his face twisted in the cruelest of smiles. His skin was sickly pale, a gray tinge to it. His green eyes were feral and wild, and his shoulder length black hair hung limply about his gaunt countenance. He was dressed in golden bronze armor plates over intricate black and green leather, a helmet of long curved horns grasped loosely in one hand. And in his other, was a gold staff, its tip an unnatural, glowing blue. ** _

_ **She had shoved her students off. Eight scared 14 year olds running off into a nearby building and barricading the doors. She was sure she was going to die at the hands of this madman. She had to give them a chance to escape at least. Her death wouldn't be in vain, she hoped to herself, as she had watched the last student enter the building. ** _

_ **If he had noticed them, he made a very good show of not displaying it. She watched the gleaming peak of the spear slant towards her chest, as a frozen fear seized her heart, her breathing shallow. Despite her mind screaming internally at her to hold her composure, she felt herself tremble as incoherent pleas slipped through her lips. ** _

_ **He grinned down wickedly at her, his eyes roving her heaving body suggestively before he cocked his head to the side. “Mmm”, he said softly, “How very deliciously tempting you are. But I'm afraid I need you for something else today, my dear”. ** _

_ **The staff touched her heart, blasting it with a shot of pure glacial ice. She felt a strange sense of pulling, like a hook just behind her navel, reining her in towards a spiraling blackness within her own mind. She tried to scream, tried to flail her arms, but she tried in vain. The thick suffocation of the shadows clawed at her, jerking her through her consciousness. She fought to gain control, she fought to stop the falling and the jerking and the complete overtaking... ** _

  
Charlie awoke with a violent start as her scream pierced the silence of the room. Her body was covered with sweat, plastering her gown to her body. Her legs were curled towards her torso and her hands were clutching the black silk of the bedding so tightly that her knuckles gleamed bone white in the faint light of the early morning. She had thought these nightmares had stopped. It had been over a year... but that was before she had been dragged into his bed and his possession once again. Now the dreams had been twice in one week. They were getting longer, and more vivid, like they were following a shot by shot sequence. But after this last one, Charlie could only imagine what would be next. 

Her actions while under the trance of the tesseract were all shrouded in mystery and shadow. After the searing pain that split her mind into fragmented shards, Charlie could only remember waking up in a bright, white medical facility surrounded by certain members of the Avengers.For weeks afterwards, she had stayed in that facility while they had run countless tests and she had endured numerous therapy sessions. When she had finally been allowed to leave, Charlie was as sick of the color white and the self-righteous goodness of “superheros” that she had ended up painting her bedroom walls a deep navy and had avoided everything and anything to do with the Avengers. She was thankful for them, of course. For them pulling her from under the depths of her mania. But, the weeks of being treated like a lab rat, and constantly being told she wasn't a prisoner while being held like one had left a sharp distaste in her mouth for it all. 

Pushing the covers from her body, Charlie stood shakily and walked towards the opened doors. The breeze that drifted in tempted her over-heated body with the promise of cool relief. Her eyes drank in the gardens below, bathed in pale light. Even in the faint dimness, the lushness of Asgard was still breathtaking. Charlie wasn't sure if she would ever tire of the beauty of this place.

A sudden movement caught her eye; pitch black hair glinted in the moonlight. Stepping over the threshold of the ornately gilded doorway, she crept quietly onto the balcony. Charlie could just make out the figure as it sat forlornly on the stone bench, head in his hands, silent sobs coursing through his body every so often. Her heart ached for him. For his frailty in this moment. For his burdens, and for his pain, and for his damaged soul. Charlie longed to wrap her arms around the god, to smooth the hair back from his face, to hold onto this tragically lonely being. 

As if on some kind of cue, Loki's head shot up, his emerald eyes searching in the darkness before settling on her standing above him. Their viridian depths bright even in the pale light, his alabaster cheeks damp. His mouth parted slightly in surprise as he stood, eyes still locked on hers with that strange intensity of his. A golden-green glow surrounded him before he disappeared completely from Charlie's line of sight. Her eyes swept the gardens below her, straining against the soft moonlight to find the god. Some sign, some clue, as to where he went. 

She let out a little gasp of surprise as she felt cool fingers brush against the nape of neck, softly, almost lovingly. Turning sharply, the mortal woman's unearthly purple eyes focused on the stooped figure, his body standing defeatedly before her. His eyes bore into her, drinking her in, his lips strangely silent as his silver tongue suddenly became lead. 

“Loki”, she said shakily, as she reached a hand up to touch his still damp cheeks with wonder. 

The wetness that met her fingertips felt strange, foreign. His eyes stayed locked on her, watching her every single move with such a sharpness that Charlie couldn't suppress the slight shiver that ran along her spine from it. She moved her fingers from his cheek, holding them up to the moonlight, rubbing the dampness between her thumb and forefinger, transfixed by the... humanity of such a sight. Her eyes looked up quickly at the broken man before her, in that moment she did not see a god. She did not see the being who tormented her dreams. She only saw the hauntingly beautiful and tragic figure before her. All she saw was the damage. And her heart squeezed in her chest for him so painfully that she thought she would burst before him into a million tiny pieces. 

Standing on tiptoes, she delicately placed her lips against his left check. With a feather lightness, Charlie kissed at the tear tracks that still stained his pale face. Her tongue darted out, lapping at the salty path shyly as her lips moved upwards. His body was stone still, his breathing had all but stopped as he warily watched her actions. Her hands came up to twine into his hair, threading themselves in the inky locks. Her breath was warm on his face, as her mouth hovered over him. She pulled back slightly, her eyes locking with his, full of emotion. Her hands left his hair as she put her hands softly on each side of his face. Her lips descended back towards his face as Loki sucked in a sharp breath before holding it in once again. Her dusky, pillowy lips tenderly kissed one closed eyelid of the crushed god before turning to do the same to the other. The salty, wetness of his lashes leaving her parted lips damp as she pulled back once again. 

A strangled sound escaped Loki's lips, as his hands snaked up to grasp her. One hand pulled at her hip sharply, while the other tangled itself into her loose curls. 

“What are you doing to me little Midgardian”, he breathed against her lips, repeating his sentiment from the day before. 

Charlie stretched her neck to lightly kiss his lips, ghosting over their surface with a fragile touch. Loki let out a deep growl, pressing his lips into hers more firmly. His lips were hard and demanding, she expected nothing less from him. His tongue poked at her closed lips, hungrily. She parted them for him, letting his tongue invade the warm, wet recesses of her mouth. Her sighs were swallowed by his needy mouth, his own growls reverberating throughout her body. 

The hand at her hip kneaded the flesh there before he moved it to cup her ass through the thin material of the gown she wore. She felt his cock pressing heavily against her belly, solid and unyielding. But instead of throwing her down and burying himself into her as he had in the past, Charlie was surprised by his continuing kisses along her jaw and neck. His hands still worked at her soft flesh, moving between her ass and her breasts slowly, almost reverently. His kisses grew more languid, softer as he moved down her throat, nipping gently. 

Loki tore his mouth away from her collarbone, looking at her again with that intensity that she would forever after associate only with him. The hungry fire in his eyes made her tremble... whether from fear or anticipation she wasn't sure. Maybe it was both. Everything with this man was from one extreme to the other. It left her senses constantly under assault. It was dizzying, yet... thrilling. She could feel the moisture that had begun to pool between her legs, leaving a damp patch against the front of her silk gown. Her cheeks burned red as his eyes lowered to the patch, his fingers brushing against it. Charlie turned her head away from his, his penetrating gaze causing her to squirm. 

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest, as his hand grabbed her jaw firmly. “You have nothing to be ashamed of”, he said decisively, his eyes boring into her. 

His fingers pressed themselves against the wet patch, pushing the silky fabric of her gown up and down her slit roughly. Those damnable eyes of his watching her intently. Every moan, every gasp, every sigh that escaped her lips caused them to light up with wicked glee. 

“Loki”, she murmured against his neck as she leaned against him for support. 

His fingertips continued to play with her dripping sex through her clothing, the fabric soaked from her excitement. With a sudden abruptness, Loki's hands grasped her gown and tugged it, ripping it in two and leaving her body bare to the night air that drifted in from the opened doors. Charlie let out a little squeal of surprise, goosebumps prickling at her skin as a shiver ran through her body. 

He smirked down at her as his long fingers stilled against her. “Does my little one like this,” he purred, his tongue darting out to nibble at the outer shell of her ear. 

She mewled softly, pushing herself further against his hand, her hips grinding as if they had a will of their own. Her body was aching for more of his touch, for more of the blinding friction that his fingers had worked up just moments ago. Her mind a fuzzy haze of lust and... full blown desire. 

He hummed and captured her lips once again. His hands wrapped around her bottom and lifted her feet off the ground in one swift movement, lips never breaking their contact. Charlie wrapped her legs instinctively around his waist, her arms grasping the back of his neck just to keep herself steady. His lips had turned a torturous path along her neck and jaw again, as he stalked across the dark room towards the looming bed behind them. 

With a sudden plop, Charlie landed on the bed, limbs askew. She made to push herself up, but his hands on her ankles stopped her as he pulled her to the edge of the bed. Her eyes widened with curiosity as the god of Mischief, King of Asgard and Jotunheim, knelt before her, his ever cool fingertips brushing up and down her legs in wonder. His emerald eyes were hooded with an emotion that wasn't lost on the woman. Of course lust colored their depths. But unlike the cruel and purely carnal lust of past times together, this time his eyes held a reverence and tenderness that caused Charlie's breath to catch in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she uttered a single sound his fingers found themselves circling her sex as his lips kissed up her thighs. 

Moaning lowly, she reached a hand above her head, clawing at the bedding as the bubble of anticipation he was working within her began to rise. She felt his lips curl into a smile against her inner leg, as he slipped a lone finger into her soaking cunt. The sudden feeling of him inside her caused Charlie's hips to buck involuntarily, as her walls clenched onto his single digit. 

“Enjoying ourselves, hmm”, he rumbled above her, his breath warm against her bare sex. 

In reply, her pelvis tilted up as her hips started following the rhythm of his pumping. 

Loki laughed darkly. “Don't be greedy.”

Charlie's eyes locked with his as he hovered just above her mound. “More”, she panted, her fingernails raking through his dark hair. 

His eyes clouded over sinfully, nostrils flaring slightly, as his tongue darted out against his curved lips. “As my lady commands”, he replied sardonically before plunging two more fingers into her dripping slit. His mouth inched closer, as his finger pumped in and out at a furious pace. She felt her body tensing up, that slow burn that starts in the pit of your stomach and spread outwards. Her breathing hitched in her throat as her sex squelched around Loki's long, cool fingers. She whined underneath his ministrations, close but not totally undone yet. That was until his mouth suddenly closed around her sensitive bud and suckled with all the gusto of a starving man before a feast. 

With a scream, Charlie's hips lunged forward and her eyes rolled back. Her body felt weightless and on fire all at the same time. Her toes curled into the black silk of the bedding, as her fingers clung tightly to Loki's thick locks. Her thighs went to snap shut of their own accord, only to be held open by the god's free hand. His other currently still pumped away at her cunt. She couldn't catch her breath as black dots began to swim across her vision. 

“Please”, she stammered, her legs shaking. 

His face came up from lapping at her juices to grin salaciously down at her. He cocked his head to one side as his eyes narrowed. “Please what, Midgardian”, he hissed. “Am I not giving you exactly what you demanded?”

Charlie shook her head, eyes closed. Her mouth could barely form words, her mind unable to work as she felt the waves of her orgasm still rippling through her body. The burn building again in her, even as she still soared on her first high. 

“Open your eyes”, he commanded. “I want to see your pleasure as it glosses those amazing depths of yours. I want to see precisely just what my fingers and mouth alone can do to you, little one. I want to see you as you drown in the rapture.” 

  
As he spoke his fingers slowed to an excruciating pace. His thumb circled her clit while his fingers moved upwards in a come hither motion inside of her. Charlie felt her walls crumbling around her as her raspy scream filled the room. The very world felt as if it had shattered around her, her body bucking forward as she rode his hand frantically. She whimpered out his name, her voice cracking with the orgasm that rippled through her body.

In a flash of light, Loki loomed over her, his now naked body gleaming in the paleness of the witching hour. She was still trembling with aftershocks, her body wet beneath her with both sweat and cum. As he hovered above her sex, his body poised between her legs while his hands gripped her thighs. Charlie gazed up at him through the cloud of her heated passion. Her eyes locked with his, and in that moment she felt her heart being tugged right out of her body. His eyes pleaded with her silently... asking permission before he buried himself into her. The man before her, so different from the one that had first taken her. 

In the back of her mind, above the haze of desire, she fought to understand the sudden change. As she closed her eyes for a moment, she questioned the cause of it all. But, as his fingers squeezed at her hips, her eyes opened back up and the imploring fire that burned in his eyes made her cast aside her thoughts. In this moment, there were no thoughts, no doubts, no questions. There was only him and only her. Charlie leaned up and wrapped her arms around his neck as her lips crashed into his. This time she took the lead, her tongue swirling against his mouth teasingly. Loki breathed sharply, his fingers digging almost painfully into her curves, as his lips parted and his tongue captured hers, sucking it gently. 

She made to close her eyes, but the growl that escaped his mouth against her own, forced her to keep them open. She felt as if her soul were lain bare to him. His own emerald orbs peering into her with such a fierceness that she was not used to. When he finally broke the kiss, he placed a hand to the side of her face, caressing it softly before his hips snapped into her suddenly. He buried his cock firmly into her dripping sex as he bottomed out, groaning lowly. As wet as she was, Charlie felt her walls scrambling to stretch for the massive member that now sheathed itself in her. She shrank back into the bed, only to have Loki grab her legs and wrap them around him as he pushed himself even deeper. 

“Oh Midgardian”, he breathed, “After all the times I have taken you, and yet your pussy is still... so... fucking... tight”. 

Loki panted, as he drew his cock back tortuously slow, his lithe body gleaming already with perspiration. His fingertips flicked over her over-sensitive nipples, drawing a moan from the woman's throat. He smirked carnally, before he slammed back into her to the hilt. Her moan grew into a cacophony of shattered curses mixed with his name. She dug her nails into the hardness of his forearms. She was already building up again, a wave of pleasure was beginning to ripple through her core. As his pace grew frantically faster, Loki grasped her legs and pulled them from his waist, instead pushing them up into her chest. His cock rocked even deeper into her. The feeling of his fullness excruciating ecstasy. 

“Don't you dare cum yet”, Loki grunted out as his head dipped down to lap at her breasts. 

Charlie bit down hard on her lip, her hands clinging to him as the waves threatened to pull her under. 

“Say you're mine.” His mouth breathed against her skin, eyes closed. “Tell me, little Midgardian, how much my kisses against your soft skin, and my fingers against your naked body mean to you. How the feeling of my hardness as it slides into you causes you to unravel at the very seams. Tell me that no man has ever filled you the way that I can.” His words were like pouring gasoline onto an already consuming fire.

Her hands unclasped his arms, and splayed on both sides of his face, pulling it upwards. “What are you doing to me Loki”, she whispered, repeating his earlier sentiments back to him. 

His lips curled upwards. “I am taking us both to the edge of a beautiful cliff, my darling. Come with me.” 

His fingers played over her lips, before he slipped a single digit into the warm cavern of her mouth. Without thought or hesitation, Charlie latched onto the cool finger with her tongue, pulling it deeper in. 

Loki moaned as his hips continued to snap into her. “Come with me”, he said again, his meaning not lost on the woman as his pace began to lose rhythm. 

She continued to hungrily suck on his finger, her mouth trying to keep time with his thrusts. Charlie could feel her walls clenching tightly around him, her legs pushed so high that her knees were almost on either side of her head. The fire in her core was rushing through her body as the blood roared in her ears. The feeling of being pulled under, of pure euphoria worked through her as she felt the spring within coil tighter and tighter. With a sudden releasing, the spring launched forward and her world was once again being shattered underneath the god. 

“Fuck! Loki!”, she sobbed, her back arching high as her fingers frantically scrambled to hold onto something, anything to keep her grounded.

His hips jerked forward violently as he went suddenly still, his body tense and shaking.   
“Oh my little Midgardian”, he rasped, his seed spurting into her body hotly, spilling down her leg. 

Loki collapsed on top of her, planting small kisses against her heated skin. Charlie felt as if stars were still exploding behind her eyes. Her legs trembled, her slick folds still filled with him. She had never in her life experienced anything so... chaotic and harmonious at the same time. She had known pleasure, was surely not a virgin anymore. She had even known what she thought was pleasure at the hands of this very man. But nothing of their past had prepared her for this. 

Her mind still burned with questions though. As if sensing her very thoughts, Loki placed a finger against her lips. “Do not do what mortals do and ruin this moment, my darling”, he said teasingly, pulling himself out of her noisily. He lay back on the bed, pulling her close to his side, tucking her under his arm.

“But Loki”, she mumbled. 

A hand went to her bottom, swatting it sharply. “I said no”, he growled. “Do not make me place you back under my Sedir.” 

His warning was enough to close her mouth. The questions could wait, would have to wait. She snuggled closer to him, her hands splayed on his sinewed chest.   
“Thank you”, she instead whispered. 

His eyebrow cocked over one eye as he glanced down at her. “Hmm”, he questioned. 

“For tonight. For this”, she gestured between them. “Whatever tomorrow brings, thank you for taking me to the edge of the cliff with you.”

His face registered his surprise for only a moment, before he replaced it with his usual smirk.   
“You are learning your place I see, little one. Very well then, you are indeed most welcome. I think I rather enjoy watching you go willingly over the edge. You clinging so desperately to me until we both crash together among the very waves themselves, rising and falling until we start all over again.” 

Charlie sighed, a strange contentment settling over her as she shook her head at his words. “I believe we both went over that cliff willingly”, she said lazily, her eyes already drifting shut. 

Loki's chest rumbled beneath her with laughter, as he pinched her ass. She chuckled softly in return, her hand wrapping around his waist. He looked down at the small, dark-haired mortal beside him. And he wondered... Was this....


	6. Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh you guys! The holidays were crazy, and I, for one, am glad they are over! But they left me with TERRIBLE writer's block. As with the last chapter, I'm not really sure about my writing in this one. It does progress the story, but sorry no smut really here. I hope you guys are still on this wild ride with Charlie and Loki and me! Here you go guys... Chapter 6 finally! 
> 
> (And as always... this is non-con at times, smut, etc... there are tags for a reason. This is the only disclaimer I will put up about it)

Charlie awoke to warm, hazy light filtering through the open windows, a gentle breeze floated through the vast room, filling it with the sweet and unique scent of Asgard. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, she stretched her arms high above her head, wincing at the slight soreness from her protesting joints. Last night had been another long one. After that early morning when she had spied him in the garden, after she had witnessed his tears and his vulnerability, something had changed between the two of them. Something which Charlie couldn't quite put a name to, but his movements were... gentler, kinder. 

That wasn't to say that he wasn't still dominate with her. The sex was, as always, a tight and fine line between twisted pleasure and beautiful pain. Yet, behind his emerald depths there was a softness now. After his punishing pace, he always used his Sedir to clean her up and wrapped her comfortingly in his sinewy arms, feathering her temple with light kisses until she fell asleep. 

She reached one hand up to massage her shoulder, while her other brushed lazily across the silken expanse of the bed. She longed for the solid form of Loki still curled beside her, his long limbs tangled up with hers as he whispered temptingly against her ear. But instead of tangled limbs, all her fingertips came in contact with were empty, tangled sheets. 

She knew she wouldn't find him there. She had felt the bed dip only hours after their last sexual experience, as he hoisted himself from the soft depths of silk and brocade with a sigh. As soon as the weight of his firm, cool body had left her side, she knew he wasn't there. She had watched him between half open lids as he had padded softly across the room and towards his bathing chamber, his finely sculpted ass as pale and smooth as marble in the wan morning light. 

Sighing to herself, Charlie pushed the visual image of the god from her mind as she physically pushed her body from the warmth of the bed. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for her usual morning tray but not finding it. As the residual sleepiness left her, she began to notice that no inviting steam rose from the sunken tub in the adjoining chamber either. 

Grabbing a nearby cream colored knitted shawl, she wrapped herself in the thin material, covering her naked form. Charlie crossed the room to the nearest open window, peering out past the gardens to the surrounding castle courtyards. Her eyes squinted as her brows furrowed, the grounds were exceedingly busy, she thought to herself. She watched servants and soldiers alike scurrying around, as if preparing for something or someone. 

Her brow still knitted together, an uneasiness touched the pit of her stomach uncertainly as she made her way towards the chamber doors. She could tell that it was not remotely early anymore, yet her room was untouched, her food not there upon the empty and waiting table. The palace resembled an ant colony that had been stirred vigorously with a stick, practically buzzing with an almost unsettling energy. Yet, her room was quiet and abandoned. 

Flinging back the heavy double doors to the waiting corridor outside, once again Charlie found herself all but shaking her head in confusion. Instead of the usual guards standing at their king's entry, the hallway was empty.

“What is going on”, she said to herself quietly, her bare feet smacking against the black stone as she began walking down the vacant hall. 

Charlie had never left Loki's chambers, other than down to his private gardens below which were surrounded by a high stone wall. She had never needed to before. All of her daily needs were provided for. The idea of leaving his rooms had more than once crossed her mind, filling her with at times an incessant curiosity as she whiled away her spare time reading books or drawing. But for the first few weeks, the doors were locked to her. And after they were unlocked, there was still the issue of the always present guards. At least, the always present guards until... today. 

The more she dwell on it, the more the thought of this filled her with a sense of dread. That first week here, Charlie would have given anything to find the doors not only unlocked but unguarded as well. But now... well now all her mind could think of was Loki. Was he okay? 

A million thoughts clouded her mind as she wound her way through the corridors, unsure of where she was even going. Her feet the only sound throughout the empty palace as they slapped noisily against the stone, her pace quickening with each dreadful thought that plagued her imagination. 

As she rounded a corner, Charlie found herself facing a single golden door. Looking back the way she came, she thought for a moment perhaps she should have gone in the other direction. And as she placed her hand on the polished handle of the door, she was sure her thoughts were confirmed as she felt resistance to her slight push. Groaning lightly, she turned to head back down the long hallway before a sound caused her to stop dead in her tracks. 

“SILENCE”, the voice bellowed out. 

His voice. Charlie practically felt the blood rush back into her body, thrumming in her ears as she closed her eyes and let out a pent up breath. At least he was okay, she thought. But as she stood there and listened for more, that same feeling of dread crept back into her gut. 

“I will not be silent. You will tell me where she is Loki. Midgard is MY domain!” The second voice was deeper, thunderous even as it boomed out. 

Her heart stopped in her very throat. Charlie knew that voice too. That voice had sat for many hours trying to soothe her as ocean blue eyes had looked at her pityingly. How she had hated that look too, the look of pity that crossed the face of every single person who had crossed the threshold into that sterile room so many years ago. But his face, the look he gave her hadn't just been pity but also this misplaced guilt about his “broken brother”. 

Charlie remembered his thick hands, as they had closed on hers in a gesture of comfort. She remembered how she had jerked her hand back, her eyes stormy and dark with mistrust and anger as she had eyed him warily. She could remember his blunt chuckle as he shrugged at her that day, but he kept coming back every day after that. Sitting sometimes for hours, nothing said between the two of them. Until one day, she was being released and he wasn't there. She was sitting in her own apartment and he wasn't there. 

Weeks later he had shown up at her door though, a case of beer in his hand and his eyes still holding onto that misplaced guilt of his. Charlie could remember her mouth gaping open in disbelief as he once again gave her a short chuckle, his broad chest rumbling in protest against the tight deep red hoodie he wore. 

They sat that night, once again in this strange sort of silence as they drank the grainy alcohol. Both of them touched in some way by the god Loki, both of them dealing with the aftermath and demons of that. This went on for a week or more, before one night he told her that he wouldn't be back. His brother would be going to trial soon on Asgard for his crimes against Midgard, and he must be present for how ever long this trial lasted. 

Charlie remembered nodding her head in understanding, before she felt his thick hand rubbing at her thigh, the silence heavy between them. She could vividly remember her weak protests as he pushed his heavy body over hers on that small, blue sofa. She could still feel his meaty fingers as they closed over her mouth, blocking out her pleas as he forced himself on her. She could still see the tears in his eyes as he ground down on her, fumbling with his pants as he pushed her dress up and pushed himself roughly into her, fucking her into that couch. Tears not for her, not for his actions even... but tears for himself it seemed. 

She could still hear his blubbering as he furiously pumped into her, murmuring about being a good guy, about why couldn't she see that, why couldn't she just be grateful. He was a god. Midgard was his and he wouldn't let the stain of his brother stay on her. He couldn't let it stay on her. He had saved her, and would save her still. He would wash away the darkness of Loki, the stench of magic and sorcery from her body. This was the only way. 

He pushed her into that couch with each punishing thrust. His hand so heavy across her mouth, she was certain she would pass out from lack of air before he finished. She clawed at him, her nails digging into that red hoodie. She screamed against his hand, both from the pain and the anger that filled her. And before she knew it, as quickly as it began it was over. 

He left her on that couch, wiping himself off with the hem of her dress as his cum trickled down her thigh, before walking out without so much as a backward glance. She never saw him again. And after that day, the idea of heroes and villains had become just that, an idea alone. There was no such thing anymore. 

Oh yes, Charlie knew that voice. Thor. The god of Thunder himself. Anger boiled within her veins. The tone of that voice... she knew that too. It was the same one he had when he had talked about not letting the mark of his “evil” brother stay upon her. It was a tone of possession... no, not that... it was a tone of blind entitlement. After all, Midgard was HIS.

She hadn't mattered to him at all. It wasn't even lust that had fueled his actions. All that mattered to him was not letting his brother soil one of his earthly possessions. He viewed Midgard and all of its inhabitants as his. He could save its people from her brother, from the Chitauri. But, he could not abide with the thought of letting one simple, mortal woman having been consumed by his brother, in any way. 

At least with Loki, there was a lust that had ruled his mind in the beginning. Not that it made up for his actions in the slightest bit, but at least he had only wanted to consume her body. Thor had wanted to consume Loki, through whatever means possible. Through her even. 

She chuckled darkly to herself. The possession of her mind by Loki through the Tesseract was nothing. Not compared to the possession of her body and soul now by the god in all his splendor. If Thor couldn't let the stain of his brother bloom on her before, if the very idea of it had caused him to throw aside his hero's mantle to take her... my how would he act now? If he found out how his brother had taken her too, only instead of just cries of pain and disgust, he had drawn from her body pure pleasure the likes of which she had never known before. Had never known was even possible. 

Her body shook with the absurdity of it all, before her anger began to curl about in the pit of her stomach, coiling its way around her senses, and overtaking her with a breathtaking and blinding rage.   
Charlie pummeled at the door, her small fists colliding with cold metal. 

“Open this door now”, she screamed out, her voice harsh even to her own ears. 

The bickering inside stopped suddenly, as she heard Loki swear loudly and the door was jerked open before her. 

Volory, the head of the King's Guard, stood on the other side of the golden threshold, his eyebrows raised questioningly at Charlie as he shifted his gaze back and forth between her and his King behind him. 

“Well, do let her in”, Loki said impatiently. 

As the guard moved aside, Charlie was able to get a good look at him finally, his arms crossed angrily across his chest, head cocked to the side as his eyes took her in darkly. 

“My brother calls, and it seems that everyone heeds”, he murmured, his voice dripping cynically with his displeasure. 

Whether at her or at his brother, she was not sure. At the moment, she would wager both of them. Although, when his brows shot up to his hairline before scrunching back down heavily over those damnable green eyes of his as he took in her state of dress, her mind quickly changed. 

“Is this she”, Thor spoke up from the other side of the large room, his voice almost deafening as his own ire colored his deep tone. 

Charlie stopped in her tracks, unable to look across at the blond god. Her eyes cast themselves down before they shot back up to Loki's, locking with him in an intense plea. The emotion that colored them reflecting back on his face as he tried to read her expression, his head inclining slightly at her before turning towards his brother. His eyes tore themselves from her slowly, as he looked over his sibling, before he turned back to take in the trembling form of his little Midgardian. 

The rage that marred her face was as strong as the fear that chased it. Fear of him, he thought to himself. No... It could not be. He had seen into her mind last night as she slumbered beside him, totally open and bare. What then was the meaning of all this? 

“My King”, she said softly, coming to kneel before him, her eyes still imploring him. 

Loki was surprised at her sentiment, an endearment which she had never uttered before, and even more shocked at her deference towards him. He reached out an upturned palm to her, drawing her to her feet directly before him, his breath fanning her face coolly. 

“My Lady”,he said in response, one hand grasping her upper arm firmly, the pressure strangely comforting to the still trembling woman as she leaned into it with closed eyes. 

Thor huffed loudly from his waiting position before striding across the polished stone in swift, confident movements, only halting when he stood directly before the two still embraced figures. His brawny arms shot out as his fingers closed around Charlie's forearm, wrenching her from Loki's grasp. 

“I am Thor, prince of Asgard and guardian of Midgard. I apologize for my brother, and the misunderstanding which seems to have placed you here against your will. I assure you, that no harm will befell you and that you are most certainly free to leave this place. I will escort you back personally to ensure this.”

Charlie felt Loki bristle beside her, but she pressed her hand softly into his, squeezing it once as she finally tore her eyes from his to face the blond god. Thor's eyes widened with recognition and surprise, his mouth falling open in disbelief. 

“It is you”, he whispered harshly, his body tense as his hands dropped suddenly from the woman as if burned. 

“Hello again Thor. Still playing the hero, are we”, Charlie said with quiet rage filling her voice. 

She wasted no time in pouncing, all rational thought abandoned as her boiling rage consumed her like a wildfire. Her violet eyes practically glowing with righteous indignation, as she raised her head high and squared her shoulders. 

“You personally ensure it do you”, she asked lethally, her brows drawn over her eyes in a hard line as she bore into him with her luminous orbs. “And do you personally ensure to wipe clean all traces of your brother from me too... you know, like before?”

The blond god sputtered before her, his face turning red as he blinked those ocean eyes of his in confusion. His mouth opened and closed several times, like a fish in a pond, but no sound came forth. He finally closed it and ran a hand tightly through his long hair, scrubbing it hard over his eyes and face. He held up a hand in frustration. 

“Of course it would be you”, he grumbled. “Of all the Midgardians to get themselves caught up in such nonsense.” 

His eyes darkened as he looked over her barely covered form. “Running back to you master, hm Charlotte?” He chuckled darkly. “I knew there was something wrong with you. I could smell his filthy sorcery on you, even as you mewled beneath me”, he bent down to whisper the vile words against her ear. 

Charlie reared her hand back, connecting it solidly against his bearded face. “Don't you dare”, she spat at him savagely. “You know nothing, you stupid blond oaf.” 

Loki stood between the two of them, his own confusion heavy on his pale features. Sucking in a deep breath, he took back ahold of his Midgardian's hand, holding it firmly in his as he turned to look at her with penetrating eyes. “What is the meaning of this”, he asked smoothly. 

Thor let out a loud burst of laughter, the guffaw reverberating around the high-vaulted chamber. “Oh yes, Charlotte. Why don't you tell my dearest brother here what is the meaning of all this?” 

His blue eyes locked in silent challenge with hers, an arrogant smirk on his fair features. He raised an eyebrow at her, as if daring her to speak. Laughing again at her silence, he clapped his brother hard on the back before his face slid into a sinister grin, no mirth reaching his eyes. 

“Why Loki, isn't it obvious? You aren't the only Asgardian this whore has lifted her skirts for. Oh come now, did you truly think you were the first?”

Loki's face contorted into a dark grimace, his eyes closing momentarily, Charlie swearing to herself she could see a flash of red in them before they opened back up to cool green and his usual mask. He laughed softly, releasing her hand and turning to his brother with a flashing, toothy smile. 

“Good thing I am not Asgardian then”, he said vehemently. His eyes locked with his brother's. His fists clenched at his sides as he took a steadying breath. “Yet I am still their King, and yes Thor, that includes even you while you are in this realm.” 

Loki leaned in close to his brother, his face still a cold mask and his eyes glittering, emerald jewels within it. “She is mine and she will NEVER leave this place, especially not with you”, he whispered viciously before gathering the trembling woman up and disappearing in his golden-green glow, leaving his brother seething and alone. 


	7. Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been VERY distracted of late! Sorry for the delay. But, I think I am finally over the block and know where I am heading with this story!! So, YAY for that! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter... No smut, and it is a definitely shorter than I normally do, so I apologize in advance for that.

Charlie shrieked as her body fell from Loki's grip and collided with the stone floor of his chambers.

“Hey!”

The god stopped his pacing, rounding on the woman's prostrate figure with a venom in his eyes.   
“Excuse me”, he spat back. “Is there something you wish to tell me?”

His voice was icy cold, the predator within him staring out from his glittering eyes. His body was held tensely just a few steps away from her, his hands clenching and un-clenching over and over as his head cocked to the side as if in expectation of her reply. But she knew there was no reply with which he would be satisfied. 

Charlie held her hands up in defeat, her eyes downcast as she moved to her knees. Something in this god of a man made her heart squeeze submissively in response to his every action. “Loki”, she began, inching slowly towards him. “Its not what you think.”

“What I think? Oh pray, do tell what it is I think, Midgardian?” He looked down at her, his face contorted in a sneer, yet he did not back away as she moved towards him, still on her knees. 

She looked up at him from under her lashes, her eyes heavy with unshed tears. “Please Loki, please”, she whimpered before she flung her arms suddenly around his middle, holding onto him as she buried her face against his thigh. Her voice was muffled as she quietly sobbed against him. 

Loki blinked quickly, his anger dissolving as he took in his trembling little one. He felt himself breaking at her pleas, and the idea troubled his already torn mind. His hand hovered above her dark curls, hesitation coloring his movements. Gingerly, he lowered it into the silkiness of her hair, stroking its softness warily. “Tell me then”, he choked out, his voice cracking at the thought of her laying with his brother. 

Charlie shuddered. The thought of reliving that night once again, to lay it bare to this man, this king,... this god. The thought sickened her and broke her heart all at the same time, yet she could not understand why. A voice in the back of her head whispered darkly that Loki was no better. He had taken her against her will, had forced himself upon her, had used her body to satisfy his own needs and at times his own rage. She shook her head. No. No. Loki had changed. What was between them had changed. Hadn't it? 

She pulled away from his leg, and placed a shaky hand to her forehead, pressing against the throbbing that filled her brain. Her body felt so heavy all of a sudden, her limbs so sluggish. Her eyes fluttered closed, dark lashes laying thickly against her pale skin as a fine sheen of sweat covered her. Her breathing was shallow and her heart felt as if it were beating out of her chest. She swore she could feel the very blood as it pumped out from the organ and through her body. A strong wave of nausea hit her suddenly, causing her stomach to roll brutally. 

“Loki”, she murmured, her eyes opening to look up at him questioningly as her breaths became more erratic. “I feel... I feel”, the words escaped her as her brain scrambled to keep up. 

The god stroked her hair, his eyes tightly shut as he entered her mind. He saw her lying in a hospital bed, her body battered slightly but it was her mind that was the most broken. Saw how she cried in anguish, clutching at the sides of her temples, eyes wild. He saw the weeks stretch on, saw how finally her screams died during the day but how the nightmares didn't. She was prodded and tested, laying herself bare before the team of doctors and scientists and Avengers. Loki saw his brother, how he visited her constantly, the pity that colored his features... and the underlying gleam of something more that lay just below the surface. When he saw his Midgardian beneath that lumbering fool, her eyes bright with pain and rage and confusion as he stifled her cries and ground into her, Loki felt himself flood with crazed violence. But then as suddenly as the vision passed before his eyes, it was replaced with another. One more recent, one more... raw for the god. 

Loki came face to face with himself. Stalking the small woman across his chambers. Pushing her onto his bed. Forcing his name from her lips. His fury dissolved around him like ashes, a flood of sickness washing over him. Her memories were gripped around him like a vice, binding him to her emotions, ordering him to relive it all. He saw the pleasure he gave her one moment, only to be tormented in the next with visions of raping her against the cold floor savagely. 

“Arghh”, he shouted, pulling himself free from the jumble of her mind. “No more!” 

Charlie fell forward limply against the floor as the god staggered to brace himself against the nearby wall. His body shook as he attempted to steady his breath. His skin flickered a pale shade of blue and his green eyes shone blood red before another shiver passed through him and his normal countenance returned. He drew in a shaky gasp of air, before he let out a wail of anguish and slumped down the wall to hit the floor. 

Loki buried his head in his hands as sobs wracked his body. “What have I done”, he muttered to himself, rocking back and forth against the wall while he continued to cradle his head between his long fingers. “I truly am the monster that parents tell their children at night about”, his voice barely a whisper as he brought his head up, a dazed and vacant look to his eyes. 

Charlie had sat up as soon as the wail had sliced the air, but his cries had caused her to stay frozen to the spot in uncertainty. As she looked at him, her body ached to go to him, to hold him, to comfort him. 

“Leave me”, Loki said blankly, his voice hoarse and hollow. 

His words caused the woman to move towards him, her face contorted in confusion. “Loki”, she murmured softly, her steps measured against the stone floor as she held her hands out to him cautiously. 

He turned eyes colored by sorrow and pain towards her, his face a broken mask of its usual cool confidence. “Do my words fall on deaf ears? I said leave me. Go.” He turned his eyes away from her, his head hanging against his chest, legs sprawled out in front of him as his back stayed against the wall.

Charlie bit back a cry, her teeth coming down hard on her bottom lip to stop its trembling. “Is this about Thor? Please, Loki... talk to me. He...”, she stopped, her tears spilling down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. “You were in my mind, I know you were. I may not have known all that you saw, but I know you were there. I know you had to see... at least in part what he did. You had to see what he did to... me.” 

She had stopped mere feet from the god, her eyes imploring him to look at her, willing those emerald depths to turn towards her. But his head just continued to sag against his chest. She shook her head angrily, her breathing growing more and more erratic with every passing second. “Look at me”, she nearly screamed. “At least look me in the eye when you hear what you already know! Your brother... he rap---” Her words were cut off as the figure on the floor shot to his feet. 

“He what”, he bellowed at her as he circled around her like a vulture sweeping down to its already lifeless prey. “He what”, he taunted again. His face was twisted in a myriad of emotions. “He raped you? Forced himself on you?” Loki threw his hands wildly around the room they stood in, “Look at where you are, girl”. He scoffed, a harsh guttural sound that held no mirth only pure bitterness. “ Do you dare to accuse a Prince of Asgard of such a crime?” 

He turned to her then, his eyes a blazing fire as his hand shot out and grasped her wrist harshly, pulling her into him. “What about a King”, he whispered savagely, his other hand coming up to her chin and squeezing it hard, forcing the woman to look back at him. 

Her violet eyes brimmed with tears and anger. “Let go of me”, she said quietly. 

Loki barked another laugh, his voice still hollow with its bitterness as he snatched his hands away and held them in an open gesture towards the doors. “Weren't you listening, Midgardian? What do you think it is I have been trying to do?”

Charlie's eyes locked with his before shooting towards the entryway then back to his face, searching for any clue, any sign. “You don't mean that”, she finally whispered, her fingers coming up in front of her lips in a peak as she slid her eyes closed. 

“Oh, I assure you I do, Little One”, he spoke softly against her cheek, his fingers coming back up to twine themselves in her hair. “Don't make this harder for me. For once in my life, I am trying to do the right thing.” He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead, holding his lips against her skin before he let out a sigh and stepped back. 

“Goodbye my fierce Midgardian”, he said as his jaw worked and his eyes glittered. “Heimdall”, he bellowed out. A burst of technicolor light filled the chamber and Charlie was hurtled forward into a rainbow of blindness, away from Asgard and away from its king, Loki. 


	8. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright ya'll! I am so pumped and on a roll with the writing right now. Unfortunately, I am sick but the upside of that is getting almost unlimited, uninterrupted time to write without constant interruptions from family. So, while the hamster wheel turns inside this head of mine, I will keep trying to crank the story out as soon as possible. I know where this story is going now and I cannot wait to keep on this journey with you guys!! Hope you all enjoy this chapter!!

Charlie sat at her desk at work, staring blankly at the computer screen before her as she absentmindedly doodled on a post-it note. Her brain couldn't focus on anything these days. It was like she was constantly in a fog during the days, and the nights... the nights were no better. 

She'd dream of him again. Every night, without fail. Some nights they were simple dreams, shadows of memories of the two of them sitting before the fire reading quietly, her at his feet while he stroked her head from above. Other times, the dreams were much more vivid... and erotic. Him pressing her against the wall as she wrapped her legs around him and he plunged into her from below. 

Every morning she'd wake up drenched in sweat with an incurable itch that no matter how many steamy showers she took simply could not be scratched. 

When she first returned home, she had felt like a fish plucked out of water and thrown onto the sand to flounder until death. Her body ached physically from the rainbow transport, and her mind ached mentally from her whole ordeal on Asgard with its King. 

One minute she had been standing with Loki in his chambers, his long body pressed coolly against hers, his lips against her forehead. And the next, she found herself back in her small apartment, as if she had never left. 

In fact, if it hadn't have been for the cream-colored shawl that was still wrapped around her body, and the faint bruises at her hips from the last time Loki had grasped them as he had plowed into her, she wouldn't have ever known she had left her earthly realm. 

Her apartment was exactly the same. The calendar showed the last date she could remember. The contents in her fridge weren't spoiled. Even her car was parked on the street outside and her purse hung on the hook by the door with her cell phone on the table just underneath. 

She had been with Loki on Asgard for months. Of that she was sure. But back home on Earth, less than 24 hours had passed between that fateful night in the alley and the morning she found herself standing in the middle of her own bedroom. 

That had been over two weeks ago now. When that Monday rolled around, Charlie dragged herself from her weekend-long slumber and finally showered, washing away the smell of Loki from her skin with a bitter heart. She dressed and went into work like her life hadn't been turned upside down on another planet, by a god no less. Loki wasn't the only one capable of producing a mask of emotionless calm when needed. 

“Charlotte!” Her name being called from the impatient voice followed by a short shake to her shoulder forced the brunette from her stupor as she pulled her eyes away from the computer screen to the man standing beside her desk. 

“Jesus Charlie, are you feeling alright? I've been standing here calling your name for two minutes straight!”

The woman looked up into the eyes of her supervisor, a middle-aged man with slightly graying hair and goatee. “I'm sorry Michael”, she said as she spun her chair around slightly to face him. “My mind must've been a million miles away. What can I do for you?”

The man squinted his eyes at her in disbelief, his lips pursed in a tight line. “Right”, he said finally, drawing the one word out longer than needed as his eyes still scanned her before turning to her computer and paper-littered desk. 

“Look”, he knelt down in front of her, placing one hand on the corner of the desk and the other on her stocking-clad knee. His eyes shot around the room noting that most of the other employees had left for lunch already before coming back to rest on her face. “Charlie, we've all noticed your behavior these past two weeks. You're constantly staring off into nothingness. You barely eat, yet you're running to the toilets at least twice a day, sick to your stomach.” 

The woman squirmed uncomfortably under the man's gaze and his touch. “I'm fine”, she murmured as she shifted in her seat, moving to cross her legs so the man's hand had to fall away. She looked back into his concerned gaze. “I'm just tired.”

Michael let out a sigh as he cocked his head to the side. “Charlie, I think it might be a bit more to it than that. You don't have to tell me anything, but maybe get yourself to a doctor, just for check-up, hm? Take a couple days off. This place can survive a few days without you.”

She shook her head, being alone was the last thing she wanted. If he only knew how much time she had really spent away from this place. “I said I'm fine.” 

The man pushed himself up from his squatted position. “I'm not asking, I'm telling you... as both your friend and your superior right now, Charlie.”

Her eyes shot up to his face, anger coloring their violet depths. She rose from her seat to stand toe to toe to the man. “Superior”, she said, her face pale and twisted. “We may work together Michael, but do not mistake that for being friends. And while you may be my supervisor while at this futile and pointless job, you are hardly my superior. Until you have entertained gods, you will never be my equal.” 

His face turned scarlet as his hazel eyes reflected his hurt at her comments. He cleared his throat uncomfortably before speaking. “I see”, he finally spoke. “Well, I'm glad we cleared that one up. And while you may question the state of us being equals in this world, I am still in fact your supervisor within the confines of this office as even you at least are aware. As such, I am giving you the rest of the week off and suggesting you see a doctor... whether a medical one or a psychological one, or hell, even both Charlotte.” 

He stepped back and folded his arms over his chest as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I'll make sure your cases are taken care of this week and I'll see you on Monday, Ms. Harper. That is, if you decide by that point that you still wish to work at this... what was it you said... oh yes, this pointless and futile job.”

With those words he gave her a curt nod and turned on his heel and walked away. Charlie stared at his retreating figure for a moment, as she brought her hand up to her mouth in sudden horror. What had she done? She had never acted like that at work. She had never acted like that anywhere. Michael was a good man, and had been nothing but kind and fair to her since she started at the agency. The fact that he didn't fire her on the spot for her outburst alone was a testament to how good of a man he truly was. 

My god, maybe he was right. Maybe she did need to go see a doctor or a shrink or... something. She hardly slept, she hardly ate. She only wanted to be back where she had been. She dreamed of being back on Asgard, only to wake up realizing she wasn't. Hating that she wasn't. And then hating herself for even wanting to go back to that place... back to that beautiful prison, and back to him, her beautiful captor. 

She stooped to grab her purse and coat, her fingers barely closing on the items before her stomach rolled heavily and a sudden wave of nausea hit her out of nowhere. She grabbed the small waste bin under her desk just in time as the meager contents of her breakfast spilled from her mouth.

She stood up shakily, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. What was wrong with her? Her stomach still churned violently. She was aware of the hazel eyes from the back of the office that focused on her. She would have to apologize to him. That much she knew. But, it could wait. Right now, all she wanted was to go home and curl up in her bed under that cream-colored shawl that still smelled faintly of bergamot and cedarwood and let the dreams come. 

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Loki sat at the golden table of the high council, taping his long fingers against the warm metal impatiently. Almost every seat had been filled, except the one to his right. His green eyes slid over the empty chair as his jaw worked furiously. He was trying to control the rage that boiled just underneath. He could feel his Jotuun nature wanting to burst forth. It took almost all of his concentration to keep his Sedir in place. 

His brother's presence had stirred up the politics within Asgard. The question of her rightful king coming to the forefront once again. It certainly would not do for Asgard's council members to see his true form. He was the king of Jotuun in name only to them, coming to the title by his “inheritance” of his father, Odin's, throne. If these people knew the truth, he was certain they would turn on him in the blink of an eye. 

A flash of deep red swept across the room, drawing the god from his thoughts as he looked up from under his heavy brow at his fair brother. Loki was pleased to see that Thor looked as displeased by this whole council business as he was. The god of thunder wanted the fame and the acclaim that came from being the hero, Midgard's mighty Avenger. He did not want the burden of a throne itself. His freedom to come and go as he pleased was more important to him than the day to day occupation that came with governing a realm and its inhabitants. 

Thor locked blue eyes with Loki's green ones. “Brother”, he said tersely as he swept into the empty seat and turned to the council. Loki again felt the pull to the darkness within him. His brother truly brought out something within the god. Their father had called it jealousy, their mother had said it was Loki's unrest. The god wasn't sure who was right, maybe they both were. What he did know was that he had lived his whole life sulking in the dark recesses of his brother's enormous shadow. And the coldness of staying in such a place had turned his mind bitter against his brother and his heart into stone against every one else. 

Every one else except his little Midgardian a small voice said in the back of his mind. His heart lurched at the thought. His body ached physically for the need that the woman had filled, but it was his heart that hurt the most from her absence. Loki's lips turned up slightly at the thought. Perhaps the heartless monster wasn't so heartless after all. But... you are still a monster, another voice said, drowning out any other voice in his head. The god clenched his fist under the table, rubbing it up and down the leather of his pants, trying to ground himself and turn the dark thoughts off. 

“My lord”, a voice spoke, breaking through Loki's haze. 

Thor reached over and nudged his brother in the arm, his eyebrows drawn low over his eyes as he looked over the pale, dark-haired god. “Brother”, he said again. “Are you well?”

Loki mentally shook himself, his fist unclenching and coming from under the table to swat off his pestering brother. “Yes, yes. Of course”, he spat out. “Can you blame a king for being troubled while the state of his kingdom is being challenged?” At this, his hard eyes fixed on the uneasy council around the vast table. 

Thor shook his head at his brother. “Typical Loki”, he muttered under his breath as he slouched down further in his chair and threw his hands up. “Yes, shall we get this show over with. I am as eager to be back on Midgard as I am sure my brother is for me to be as well.”

A man dressed in black robes, the one who had first addressed Loki, was still standing at the other end of the table. “Certainly, my lords. But”, he voice broke off for a moment as he looked around the table at his fellow members for support, “I am afraid it won't be that easy or that quick this time”. 

Loki cocked his head to the side as he glared down the space at the man. Beside him, Thor had sat up straighter, his hands gripping the edge of table. “I beg your pardon”, Loki said lethally, his voice quiet but deadly. 

The man cleared his throat, his voice shaky as he spoke again. “My lords, for these past few years Loki has served as Asgard's king in lieu of Prince Thor as he was unwilling to take up the mantle and disinclined to settle the matter in person... despite the council's best efforts.” 

At these words, Thor let out a growl, “Watch yourself councilman.” 

The man bowed to the god of thunder before turning to do the same to Loki seated beside him. “It is not the will of the council to evoke the wrath of either of Asgard's sons.”

“Then let us vote this matter now, and be done with it”, Thor spoke up again, his fists coming up to pound on the table, causing the council members all to jump at the thundering crack. 

The robed man shook his head. “That is what I am trying to convey before the council, my lord. I am afraid now that both sons occupy Asgard, a period of time must pass before the throne is officially revoked. One year to be exact.”

Loki shot up from his seat, knocking his chair to the ground in the process. “This is absurd”, he bellowed out. “I am Asgard's King! It is I, and I alone, who has helped to grow this kingdom and its place among the Nine Realms since Odin's death!”

The man again bowed. “I am sorry, my lord, but 'tis the law of Asgard. A law that cannot simply be broken, not even by you or your brother, I am afraid.”

“No, no, no, no”, Thor shook his head, looking between the council members and Loki incredulously. “This must be some kind of mistake. Brother, is this one of your tricks? I must say, even for you, this is hardly amusing.”

Loki turned venomous eyes on his brother, “One of my tricks? One of my tricks”, he asked with disgust. “Even you are not that stupid brother! Look around you, does this look like one of my tricks”, he screamed. 

The blond god put his head down in his hands, elbows braced against the golden metal. “There has to be another way”, he said dejectedly. “Tell me, there has to be something else. Another way for Loki to ascend the throne that I willingly give to him without this farce of a year having to pass.”

The robed councilman turned to look at one of his counterparts near him, before turning his eyes back to the two gods at the other end of the table. “There may be, my lords... a way to validate Loki's time on the throne thus far, but I am afraid it is impossible. There is no way---”

The man's words were cut short as Loki bounded across the chamber and grasped him by the front of his dark robes as two daggers appeared suddenly in each hand. “Tell me! So help me, you had better tell me before I slice your head clean from your body.”

Thor looked at his brother and the man in his grasp and shrugged his shoulders as the council turned to him in deference at the scene before them. “I suggest you tell him what he wants to hear then”, he said as he leaned back in his chair and put his legs on the table before him, crossing them at the ankles. Either this man would give them a solution to their dilemma or else his brother would provide him with some entertainment tonight... either way, he sat back and waited. 


	9. Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While the hamster wheel turns, I will keep putting pen to paper. I know an update every day is NOT the norm for me. But, I am so psyched by this story and having so much fun writing about Charlie and Loki that I can't stop! So without any further ado, here is Chapter 9. Enjoy xoxo

“I'm what”, Charlie stammered, her eyes looking down at the test results in her hand before she focused back on the doctor before her. 

The tall blonde in the white coat smiled at the girl sympathetically. “I would say you're about 6 weeks along Ms. Harper. There is information in your packet here regarding the growth of the baby, along with your referral to the obstetrician. The office should be giving you a call with the appointment date in a few days. I can also give you the information to a clinic in upstate New York that”, the doctor paused as he looked down at the file in his hand, clearly uncomfortable, “that can handle situations like this, if you'd like.”

He finally looked up from the papers and stared expectantly at her, waiting on a reply. Charlie blinked rapidly, her mind scrambling. 

“Ehhmm”, the doctor cleared his throat, “Ms. Harper?”

Charlie jumped slightly, “Um, yeah ok. Yeah, sure. I'll take a look at it. Thank you”. 

She knew whose baby it was. The only person's it could be. But the logistics of it... it had her mind reeling. It didn't make sense. None of it made any sense. The timing, let alone the biology behind it all. How could she ever get pregnant with not only a god's child, but one who was also a Frost Giant?

“You're welcome”, the doctor was saying, as he handed over the file to her, shaking the woman from her worries. 

She grabbed the papers, and shook the doctor's hand before he exited the room and left her alone. How could this be happening? She had no idea what to do as she flipped open the folder and let her gaze wander over the information within. Obstetrician info on the right, clinic on the left. 

She couldn't help but think of the dark god in that moment. What would he think? What would he want... did he even want to be a father? It was hardly something they had ever discussed in their time together. They had hardly discussed anything in their time together. And, to be honest, she had never even thought it was a possibility between the two of them to conceive a child. 

Her hand went absentmindedly to her stomach. How wrong she was. Apparently not only was it a possibility, it was now very much a reality.

As she took off the paper gown and slipped on her jeans and sweater, Charlie kept thinking of Loki. The more she thought of him, the more her fear grew. What if he didn't want a child? What if he forced her to get rid of the baby? Did that mean she wanted a child? And if she did, how would she even begin to support it or much less deal with the fact that the child would be part god? Would the baby be born like a normal baby, or would it come out frost blue with red eyes? 

She shivered involuntarily at the image. Regardless of having seen Loki before in his Jotunn form, the thought of an infant coming from her body in such a manner terrified her. It was the stuff from science fiction films and dime store novels. This kind of stuff didn't really happen in real life, to normal people. 

But yet, here she was. As normal and as average as they came... pregnant with an alien baby whose father was the king of another realm and whose uncle was an Avenger, and both of whom were rapists.

Sighing out loud, Charlie pulled on her coat and wound her scarf around her neck, an emerald green and black number she had recently purchased. It had made her think of him, of the brocade on his vast sinful bed. 

Everywhere she went, she saw things that reminded her of him. The barista at the local coffee bar had jet black hair like him. The black tile in a restaurant on the upper East-side made her think of the floors in his palace. The white flowers in a store window on her walk to the corner store reminded her of the fragrant pale blossoms in his gardens. 

She felt like she was going insane. She dreamed of him at night. She saw reminders of him every minute of every day. Her heart ached for a man that had used her and then let her go. He didn't want her, he never truly did. 

He had used her before, controlling her mind as he forced her to be just a subservient pair of legs to complete his evil and ultimately failed attack. He had left her then too. He had taken from her, and she was left to suffer as he went back to Asgard. 

Now, here she was having things taken from her by the god Loki once again only to be left alone by him and suffering. Only this time, it wasn't just her mind that suffered. It wasn't just her will or her sanity he had taken from her. This time he had taken her body, her mind, her heart, and possibly her very soul.

How would she ever survive this time around? Especially now that not only had he taken almost all of her, but had left himself so thoroughly with her as well. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki stalked his chambers like a caged animal. He had ordered the room stripped of everything. His linens were now gray and blue. They were not his, but every time he looked at that black silk all he could see was his little Midgardian lying against them. Her pale skin like snow against the darkness, her curls spread around her head like a dark halo as she slept. 

Her scent still clung to the room like the way the morning sun clings to a fragrant flower in early Spring. Everywhere he looked he saw her ghost, floating through his rooms like death itself. He certainly felt as if he were in mourning. 

A loud, solitary knock sounded on his doors, echoing around his empty rooms. Loki stood at the enormous fireplace across the main room, hands braced on the heavy mantle. He spun around on his heel as the knock reached his ears. He opened his mouth to speak, but the doors burst open before he could utter a single sound. 

“Brother”, the god of thunder bellowed, crossing the room to clap Loki hard on the back.

“I am in no mood Thor”, Loki said bitterly, as he turned back to the fireplace, peering at the orange and red flames that licked at the wood within the grate. 

Thor just let out a short chuckle. “I figured you would say that, Brother. But come now, the Warriors Three have heard of my return and are back in Asgard. There are barrels of Asgard's finest ale and casks of her best wine. And”, he grinned at his dark brother, his eyes suggestive, “there are whores from the red district.”

Loki waved a hand back at his brother. “Go on then. Your friends and your fun await you. Leave me be.”

The thunder god's face fell as a scowl colored his fair face. “Stop this foolishness, Brother. That Midgardian is hardly worth all this. By Norns, you dress as if you attend a funeral. Even your chambers don't bear your colors anymore. A mere mewling quim of a mortal warrants this not! You are a son of Asgard!”

Loki whirled around, his face full of rage, his eyes blazing fire. “How dare you”, he seethed. “You idiotic buffoon. Did it ever occur to you that if you hadn't come back to Asgard over that 'mere mewling quim of a mortal' we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with? “ 

He stalked across the small space to stand directly in front of brother, his eyes tinged red as he glared at the blond god. “Or that if you had kept your cock to yourself for once in your adult life, I wouldn't have had to send her away from here in the first place? No, of course you didn't”, his eyes had now turned fully blood red as his face snarled at his brother. “You couldn't stand the thought of not laying claim to something of mine could you? Even after the deed was done you had to taunt me with the knowledge of it, in my own kingdom no less! A kingdom that now is in jeopardy, all because Thor had to play the hero! At least I know what I am and don't hide behind the mask of an avenging defender!” 

Loki took a shuddering breath, and fell back into one of the arm chairs by the fireplace. His dark head dropped into his hands as he let out a groan. “I think I could have been happy with this girl. For once in my life, Brother, I felt like there was another who understood me and cared for me despite it all. Despite the darkness that claws its way out from inside me. The only other being in all of the Nine Realms who had ever given me as much was our mother, Frigga.”

He brought his face back up, they were back their normal shade of green, but filled with sorrow and tears as he looked as his brother forlornly. “And now they are both gone from me.” 

Thor stood rooted to the floor. His mouth opened and closed several times before he finally let out a pent-up breath. “Brother”, he murmured. “I...”, he shook his head, wiping his face with a hand. “I had no idea”, he finished simply. 

Loki rested his chin in his hand as he stared into the flickering flames. “Just leave me be Thor.” 

The other god reached out a hand towards the god in the chair before thinking better of it and letting it drop heavily to his side. “For what its worth, I am sorry, Brother”, he said quietly, before turning to leave.

The dark god stood up and walked towards the fireplace, grasping the ledge for a moment before a wild cry tore from his lips and his arms swept out to knock everything off and shattering to the floor. He turned wild eyes around the room, another feral and guttural exclamation escaping from the depths of his soul as he ripped apart the furnishings before him without a second thought. 

He ripped at the bedding and the curtains. The paintings on the wall came crashing down. Papers on his desk were flung to the floor. He screamed again, hands clutched at his sides as he crumpled in on himself. He fell to the floor, broken glass, torn fabric, and papers lay scattered all around him. 

As he sunk down, his eyes fell onto a small book that lay sprawled open on the black stone. Drawings and writing in a swirling Midgardian script, met his gaze. Reaching out a trembling hand, Loki picked up the leather-bound book. A drawing of himself stared back at him. He was laying in his bed, chest bare and his hair spread on the pillow. Below it, in the swirling script: _**god, it hurts to be human**_. 

Loki closed his eyes and breathed deeply before turning to the next page. Lines, like a poem filled his vision.

  
_ **I've been alone for a while** _   
_ **But only with you in my mind** _

_ **Lost on empty pages, but the ink is already faded** _   
_ **I've been alone for a while** _

_ **You know I've tried, but I'm still so cold inside** _

_ **Bleed with me this time** _   
_ **I've been hurting to find, someone to make it right** _

_ **I learn so much but lost it all** _   
_ **And when I'm stuck with you I fall** _

Page after page, he devoured the book. Some pages were filled with poems or songs, some held drawings of the palace or the gardens below but most of the drawings were of him. Drawings of him while he slept, or while he sat at his desk working. Him by the fireplace reading, him lying in her lap while her hand stroked his hair. 

And other pages were just daily musings. Her hurt after he took her on the floor from behind in his blind rage. Her questioning his motives the day he let her just hold him. Her fear of him one moment, followed by her musings of something more between them the next. 

Loki let out a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding as brought the book to his nose and inhaled deeply. The soft smell of jasmine mingled with the sharpness of citrus hit him violently. When he opened his eyes he saw her sitting there, knelt before him, smiling softly. 

Her violet eyes were molten fire as she reached a hand to cup his cheek. She scooted across the space, slipping her small, curvy frame into his lap, stroking his face and hair as she nuzzled his neck. 

The god of mischief and lies knew that it wasn't real. But he didn't care. He wanted it to be real. He wanted her to be there in that moment, and so he had conjured her in his mind and there she was. In that moment he let the dream take him in and take him under as he let himself be held and loved by his little Midgardian once more. If it was a dream, then Loki was glad of it. He would welcome slumber's dark embrace every moment he could if it meant having her in his arms again. “Come to me, my love.” 


	10. Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10! No smut in this chapter, but hopefully our characters will get to where they want and need to be soon! Until then, enjoy the angst and longing. Anticipation is oh so sweet :) Thank you to all of you who are reading this story still and who are joining me and these characters on this journey! You guys rock!!!

  
Loki sat behind the massive desk in his room, pouring over the many tomes and papers that littered its surface. His eyes scanned one page after the other, looking for any thing, any sign, any clue to help him out of the predicament he found himself ensnared in. 

It had been weeks now since his brother had arrived in Asgard, and just as long since he had sent his little Midgardian away. He ran a tired hand over his face, his eyes closing momentarily as her image filled his mind. Her violet eyes warm while she smiled at him, her hand held out invitingly. 

“Mmm, not now my love”, he muttered to himself as he reopened his bleary eyes. 

So far he had found nothing of use. Nothing to secure his right to the throne without having to wait the full year of abdication by his brother, Thor. 

That's not entirely true, a voice... her voice, said in the back of his mind. 

The god scoffed as he slammed shut the book in front of him and grabbed the leather journal hidden under a stack of ancient papers. He opened to the middle pages, his eyes focusing on her handwritten verses. 

_ **No concern for what you'll burn, you set yourself ablaze** _   
_ **What survives are sharpened knives that go right through the bone.** _

Her voice was the one he heard as he read the words. He closed his eyes again, she was still there, waiting patiently, arms outstretched towards him. 'I miss you, my King', she said in his mind. Her soft fingers traced his cheek tenderly. 'You worry too much', she whispered against his skin, her lips trailing gentle kisses with each word. 

Loki shook his head, his eyes boring into the dream version of his woman. 'I cannot lose my kingdom', he muttered aloud. 'And I cannot sit by for a year while it slips through my fingertips either.'

The woman rubbed his chest with the open palm of her hand. 'There is another way, my King.' Loki rolled his eyes before looking back at the Midgardian. 

'An heir', he grumbled questioningly. He let his eyes wander longingly over the curves of the woman. His hands roamed the spaces affectionately. As his green eyes came back to her face, the sadness that overtook his heart made him shift uncomfortably. 

'My grasp on my kingdom is as real as you are these days.' He sighed and waved his hand, her form disappearing like vapor before him as he opened his eyes. 

“An heir”, Loki sneered. “Right. I'll just conjure one of those up”, he said, shaking his head as he slumped down in the chair forlornly. 

The councilman's words echoed in his mind. He'd had his knives pressed firmly to the man's throat, threatening to slice his head from his body before the man wailed the sentiment. Loki had dropped his twin blades to the floor with a clatter, staggering from the robed man with a look of true shock on his face.   
'Impossible”, he had said, his eyes wild as he looked from the council members towards his brother. 

Thor had slammed his fists on the table, cursing loudly as he stumbled from his chair, finger raised threateningly at the council. 'Continue forcing my hand and my stay, and you may find yourself in need of watching your back', he warned angrily before he grabbed the flask of wine off the table and stormed out of the chambers. 

Loki had not slept that night. He had hardly slept any night after that. His mind a battlefield over his fate in Asgard. His heart yearning for the comfort of the violet-eyed woman. He spent his days stooped over books and ledgers and scrolls, trying to find a solution for one problem, and his nights conjuring visions to appease the other one. 

And his brother. Loki snorted at the thought. By Norns, his brother. Thor had wasted every waking moment since that night of the council drinking Asgard dry and fucking every willing woman in the city. 

The god of mischief rested his forehead in his head as he reached for his Midgardian's journal once more. He flipped through it, taking in the words and drawings before it fell to a familiar page, one he constantly found himself turning to. It was the sketch of him asleep, the words underneath tugging at his emotions every time he read them; _**god, it hurts to be human**_. 

“Oh human”, he murmured, “it hurts to be a god too”. 

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Charlie sat at the small table in the tiny kitchen of her apartment, her fingers tracing the edge of the mug of tea before her as she stared vacantly out the window. She'd had her first OB appointment that morning. She was actually ahead of her primary care doctor's assumption, and measuring in at about 10 weeks, almost the end of her first trimester already. 

Her stomach was just barely rounded, but looking back she could suddenly see the warning signs; the constant fatigue, the tender breasts, the cramping. She was on the shot, so having a period wasn't anything out of the normal for her. But all the other symptoms had been right there in front of her. 

'Yeah, well you were too busy trying to constantly decipher the mood swings of a full-tilt diva. I think you're forgiven for not noticing barely noticeable pregnancy symptoms', a voice said sardonically within her head. 

Her fingers left her mug and traced the black and white pictures scattered before her. How far along she was had been her first surprise of the visit. Her second, came when the doctor began the ultrasound and said in a happy voice that there were, in fact, two fetuses. The echoing noise of not just one, but two steady heartbeats through the monitor couldn't be denied. 

Charlie looked down at the ultrasound pics. Two little blobs in two separate, black sacs. She frowned as she turned the pictures first one way, and then the other. She couldn't tell much from them really, but she thought she could just make out their little heads and arms. 

Her other hand reached down to her stomach, cradling the small rounded bump. “Well you two sure know how to get one over on your mama already”, she said to her belly, a smile ghosting her lips as she continued to stare at the pictures. 

“Oh what am I going to do”, she wailed suddenly, putting her head down on the table. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and absurdities; her emotions on a roller coaster ride. One minute she was crying her eyes out and the next she was laughing uncontrollably. 

How could she continue on with this pregnancy? Nothing was normal here. Would she carry these children for 9 months, or did Frost Giant gods cook at a faster rate than human babies? What books were out there to really prepare her for this... 'What to Expect When You're Expecting a Demi-god, Magic-wielding Alien's Baby'? 

“We're really in a pickle here, ya know”, the woman said out loud again, rubbing her stomach affectionately. 

She needed help. That much she knew. Where exactly to get it from though... that part was a little trickier. It wasn't like she knew how to get a message to Asgard. Or...she thought as she looked out the window at the New York skyline, maybe she did. 

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
Charlie rushed to smooth the wrinkles from the green velvet a-line dress she wore. She looked down at her watch, she had twenty-five minutes to get from work to her destination before her meeting was to begin. 

Her eyes flashed up at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her face was overly pale and thin due to the constant bouts of morning sickness that struck her throughout the day. She tried to pinch her cheeks to bring some color back to her face before giving up and running a hand over her hair while she dug in her purse for lipstick. 

“Damn it”, she muttered to herself, fingers sifting through old receipts and empty gum wrappers until they finally closed on the tube in question. She swiped the light berry stain on her lips, giving herself a little nod of approval as she glanced back down at her watch. Twenty minutes to go. “Shit, shit, shit”, she said as she rushed out the restroom and towards her desk to grab her coat and car keys. 

“You okay there Charlotte”, her boss, Michael, said from his desk. 

She threw up a hand as she sped past him. “I'm good. Just late. I'll see you in the morning”, she called as she slipped out the door of the building and into the cold outside. 

With two minutes to spare, Charlie scrambled up the steps of the Avengers Tower, through the revolving door, and into the polished lobby. She was out of breath as she huffed out her name to the guard behind the desk. 

“Charlotte....gasp... Har...gasp... Harper... gasp... for Tony Stark.” She finally managed to get out, smiling as she leaned heavily on the dark marble.   
The man looked at her questioningly, his eyebrow cocked slightly. 

“Oh, I um, I have a meeting”, she piped up quickly. 

The guard pursed his lips as he looked away to dial numbers into a phone, picking up the handset and turning away as he talked into it quietly. “Yes sir, I'll send her right up then, sir”, the man said finally, placing the receiver down and turning back towards Charlie. 

“I'll need you to sign in here, Ms. Harper”, he said, handing her a clipboard. “And I'll need you to step through the detectors to your left, making sure to place your purse and coat on the table, and to empty your pockets before entering.”

“You need me to give you a blood sample while I'm at it”, Charlie joked as she handed the clipboard back and walked towards the metal detectors. 

The guard glared at her, his face set in stone as he took her purse and coat, checking through each before handing them back to her on the other side of the frame. “The elevators are straight ahead. Mr. Stark's office is on the 90th floor. Here is your visitor's pass. Please remember to turn it back in and sign the register before you leave, Ms. Harper.”

“Right”, she said under her breath as she took her belongings back and walked towards the lifts. Her stomach twisted nervously as she entered the enclosed space and pressed the button. 

A week ago she had sat at her kitchen table after her first OB appointment, lamenting her situation. She had accepted the idea of being pregnant. But pregnant with the twins of a god, that was something she would need help with. 

Her eyes had fallen on the Avengers Tower, formerly Stark Tower, looming grandly over the city, its giant _**A** _glowing brightly. And it hit her. She might not could get a message to Asgard herself, but maybe someone within that tower could get one there. Certainly they had to have measures in place to reach one of their own Avengers, didn't they? 

She had called the tower, getting passed from one person to the next, sitting on hold for what felt like ages before she finally was placed in touch with Ms. Potts. The strawberry-blonde fiancee of Iron Man himself. Luckily for Charlie, Pepper was also the one responsible for most of the the day to day runnings of Stark Industries and remembered her from her time at the tower after the Battle of New York. 

A week later, here she was. Nervous and pregnant and about to step off an elevator for a meeting with the one and only Tony Stark. She swallowed back the nausea that rose in the back of her throat, as the lift dinged and the doors slid open. 

“Ms. Harper”, a pleasant voice called out to her. 

Charlie turned a confused face towards the voice in question, her eyes widening slightly as she took in the blond man that stood before her with an outstretched hand. 

“Mr. Rogers”, she said finally, stepping off the elevator and grasping his hand briefly. 

Steve smiled at her, white teeth glistening. “I know I'm not quite what you were expecting”, he said with a chuckle. “Tony is finishing up some work in his lab. He'll be joining us in a moment, along with a few other members of the Avengers you may remember from your time here at the Tower.” 

America's captain stopped just outside a set of frosted glass and polished silver double doors, his hand on the handle. He turned to her, his face soft with concern as he placed a hand on her arm.“It's good to see you again, Ms. Harper. I hope these last few years have treated you kindly. But, if my suspicions for this meeting are right, I'm not quite sure it has.” 

Charlie blinked back the prickling of tears that stung at her eyes. She looked away quickly, trying to calm herself before looking back at Steve with a tight smile. “I'm fine, Steve”, she said softly, placing her hand on his and giving it a light squeeze. 

His clear, blue eyes looked at her with disbelief coloring them. “Charlotte”, he began. “If it's Loki again...” 

She held up a hand. “Please”, she interrupted. “Don't. I just need help getting a message to Asgard, okay? Can you... can you please just help me do that? Can you help me get a message to Asgard, Steve?”

Steve pursed his lips, before biting the inside of his cheek and nodding his head. “Okay. I don't know if its possible or not, but lets see what we can do, hmm”, he said, turning away and pulling the doors open, stepping aside for her to enter. “Ladies first.”

“Thank you, Captain”, she said with gratitude, her hand reaching out to squeeze his one more time before she entered the room and the waiting Avengers within. 

She absentmindedly touched her stomach, holding it as she thought of their fate which now lay in the hands of the men and women inside that room. There had to be a way... they had to be able to get a message to the other realm. It was her last hope, her only hope. No, not just hers; It was her children's only hope as well. 


	11. Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 11... no smut but a glimpse at some other Marvel characters within Charlie's little world as she tries to figure out her next move. If there are any errors or the writing seems off, I do apologize, this chapter was written on a cell phone while at work. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy! Please leave a comment, I love hearing from you guys!!!

"Why?"  
Tony Stark stood at the head of the large glass table, his back turned towards the individuals seated around it as he stared out the window at the glittering city below. 

Charlie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her fingers twisting the hem of her dress between her fingers. She was aware of the five sets of eyes that now focused on her as she continued to stare down at her hands.   
"I...um", she stammered. 

The red-headed woman across from her spoke up first. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to", she said, moving her hand across the table in a comforting gesture. 

"The hell she doesn't", Stark said, turning back to the group. He walked past his seat and strode up to Charlie, spinning her chair around to face him. He brought his face level with hers, his eyes hard as he looked her up and down before settling back on her face. "Tell me, Ms. Harper, why exactly would a government-employed, pencil-pusher be interested in contacting Asgard? You know, the magical realm that houses the same psychopath who had you under mind control not that long ago…" 

She pushed herself as far back into her chair as she could, trying to avoid the penetrating stare the man pierced her with. 

"Tony", Steve spoke up from beside her, his voice stern. 

Stark moved back from the girl, holding his hands up. "I'm just asking what everyone in this room is wondering", he said as he walked back to his chair and leaned over it, hands peaked in front of him.

"Tony's right", a man with dark eyes she recognized as the War Machine spoke up. He turned towards Charlie apologetically as he started talking. "Look, I'm sorry Miss but it's not really part of the job description of the Avengers to relay personal messages. Especially when we have no idea the reason behind it." 

Charlie looked back down at her hands. She knew this wasn't a good idea. She should have known better than to come back to this place for help. Tears threatened to fall as she blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back. "I understand", she mumbled. 

Steve reached over and squeezed her arm. "Hey, we're not saying no. But", he looked up at her from behind his impossibly long lashes, his blue eyes clear, "it might help if we could understand why you need to get a message to Asgard to begin with". 

Charlie looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "Is there any way to get in touch with Thor or not", she asked plainly, looking around the room at each person before stopping on Stark. 

The billionaire narrowed his eyes at her before shrugging his shoulders. "I'm not sure. We've never had to before." 

"Is that a yes or a no, Mr. Stark", she asked, her eyebrow raised in challenge. 

The corner of Tony's mouth turned up slightly in a smirk. He pointed a finger at her, "I like you", he said simply. 

The red-headed woman laughed. "That's high praise coming from Stark", she said, her green eyes sparkling. 

Tony waved off her comment, looking at Dr. Banner, who sat at the other end of the table, silently watching the group. "What do you think, Bruce? Think you can get a signal out to our favorite thunder god?" 

Dr. Banner rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes glazed as he contemplated his options. Finally, he looked up at the other man, "There might be a way", he said. 

Charlie let out a pent up breath, smiling at the scientist in appreciation. "Thank you, Dr. Banner."

He dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Don't mention it", he muttered. 

"There's no guarantee, Ms. Harper", Tony said, drawing her attention from the reclusive scientist back down to the philanthropist billionaire playboy. 

She nodded her head in understanding. "I gathered as much, Mr. Stark", she replied. 

"Good, glad you understand", he said walking from his spot by his chair back to stand next to her again. He knelt down in front of her, his tone softer, kinder. "Ms. Harper, if you expect this from my team, you need to at least tell us what it is you want from Thor", he said, his eyes looking at all the others present before settling back to her. 

Charlie bit her lip, nodding her head slowly. She finally looked up at him from under her dark lashes, her eyes bright with tears that she could no longer hold in. "It's not Thor I'm trying to get a message to", she said softly, so softly that the other people present in the room had to strain to hear her. 

"I beg your pardon", Tony said, confusion on his face. 

"Loki", Steve growled, his jaw clenched. 

Tony's eyes flew to her face, his dark eyes wide with disbelief. "Loki", he questioned. "Is that right? Is Cap right, Ms. Harper?" 

Charlie felt her heart beating wildly in her chest, and she knew the super soldier beside her could probably hear it too. Then an idea hit her, making the woman turn sharply in her seat to look at the fair man beside her. "You know don't you", she whispered, her eyes round as she placed a hand to her middle. 

Steve just stared ahead, the muscle in his jaw ticking angrily before he finally turned to her, giving her a single nod.

She closed her eyes as she brought a hand up to her forehead. Of course he knew. He would've been able to hear the two extra heartbeats the moment she exited that elevator. That explained the concern that had colored his face almost instantly. 

"Know what", Tony asked, looking between her and Steve. 

Steve just stared at her, sighing as he brought a hand up to his face wearily. "Go on", he said to the girl. 

Charlie felt the bile rising in her throat. If she had been wrong to come here for help, then she had been a down right fool to think she was going to walk out of this place with her secret in tact. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it. "Excuse me", she said as she bolted out of her seat, her eyes wild as she searched for a trashcan. 

Steve's brow crinkled as he took in the situation before him. Any moment and the young woman was going to be spilling her guts before the group, in more ways than one. He stood up quickly and placed a hand on her back, leading her to a stainless steel door on the far wall of the room. "Here we are", he murmured in a soothing voice by her head as he led her into the small bathroom, closing the door behind him. 

Charlie fell to her knees, barely making the pristine porcelain as her stomach emptied it's contents. Steve held back her hair with one hand, rubbing her back with the other. "Its ok", he crooned. "That's it, let it all out. You're okay now, just let it all out." 

In between heaves, she waved Steve off with a weak hand. "You don't have to stay here", she said. The man just continued rubbing her back, shushing her gently. "You're fine. Everything will be okay now." 

Charlie braced both hands on the floor as the last heave left her body, her stomach completely emptied. She raised herself shakily, aware of Steve's hand still pressed to her back as she reached to flush the toilet and wash her hands. 

"You know, you did the right thing, coming here. Tony and I will make sure you're taken care of, Charlotte. Just like before. " 

The woman looked up in the mirror over the sink, staring at the reflection of the super soldier. "Taken care of", she repeated back. "What are you talking about Steve?" 

A sudden knock on the door caused her to jump. "Hey, is she alright? What's going on in there", Natasha's voice sounded from the other side. 

Steve reached out to grab the door handle, pulling it as he pushed her forward slightly. "All good", he said as they exited the room. 

The group still at the table looked at her warily, their eyes full of questions that she wasn't really ready to answer. Charlie walked across the space on trembling legs, her black patent sling-backs clacking noisily against the marble floor. 

"Care to explain what exactly that was all about, Ms. Harper", Tony said from his seat, arms crossed over his chest. 

"Give her a minute, would ya Tony", Steve piped up as he ushered her into her seat. "Natasha, you mind getting her a glass of water?"

Charlie held her hand up, stopping the red-headed woman in her tracks. "No, please. Don't trouble yourself, I'm fine. Really." 

The woman glanced back at the super soldier who gave her a slight incline of his head. "It's okay, Charlotte. Like I said back there, we'll make sure you're taken care of", Steve said as he sat down beside her. 

Tony scoffed from his seat, throwing his hands in the air as he did so. "What exactly are you promising here, Gramps", he said, looking at Cap. 

Steve let out a sigh. "I'm just reassuring, Ms. Harper here that no matter what, the Avengers will take care of her. Just like before." He gave her a small squeeze on her shoulder, smiling warmly at her. 

Charlie felt as if the room was spinning. Just like before? She didn't want to be trapped in a sterile hospital room, tested and prodded on, just like before. Her eyes locked on Steve's blue ones, he was still looking down at her. "No", she whispered, her eyes burning pools of amethyst. 

The super soldier's brows furrowed as his eyes grew darker. "No", he questioned. 

She felt her back stiffen as she rounded her shoulders and faced the captain down. "No", she repeated. "I don't need the Avengers to take care of me. I just need to get a…" 

"Message to Asgard… yes, yes we know", Tony interrupted. "More specifically, Ms. Harper, a message to Loki of Asgard." His eyes bore into her, as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms again. "What is it that you need to tell Reindeer Games so badly, hmm?" 

Charlie sighed heavily, there would be no hiding it, might as well get it over with. She opened her mouth to speak. 

"Are you a spy, Ms. Harper", the man suddenly asked. 

The woman choked on the words in her throat as she looked at Stark like he had grown another head. "Are you insane", she shot back incredulously. 

"Very possibly", he said smiling. "But then again I'm not the one who went around being a little terrorist while under the mind control of a black- haired diva named Loki. So, my theory is either you're a secret spy for the Asgardian or there's something else going on here, Ms. Harper." 

Her jaw clenched down angrily as her nostrils flared. "I'm not a spy", she managed to say finally. 

Tony stood up, his chair falling back as he pounded a fist on the table. "Then what are you, Ms. Harper?"

"I'm pregnant", she screamed at the man, her breathing ragged. 

"You're what", He whispered.

Around the table, the other Avengers shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Dr. Banner had sat up noticeably straighter, watching her intently.   
Just like a lab rat, she thought silently to herself. 

Tony looked at Steve. "And you knew about this", he questioned angrily. 

Steve held his hands up. "I just found out myself this evening", he said. "Blame it on super soldier hearing." 

"Jesus", Tony swore, running a hand through his dark hair and down his face. "And this baby", he said turning back to Charlie, "You're certain its… you know who's." 

She shot a scowl at him. "For goodness sake, he has a name… he's not Voldemort you know."

"Yeah, I'm well aware of Marilyn Manson's name. You didn't answer my question though. Are you 100% certain this is his child?" 

"Children", she said quietly, feeling Steve bristle slightly beside her before sighing. 

"Children", Tony asked. "Children?!" He threw his hands up in the air. "It just keeps getting better and better doesn't it." He looked down towards Bruce. "Is this even possible", he asked. 

The scientist shook his head. "A couple of years ago aliens fell from the sky, Tony. At this point, anything is possible isn't it?" 

Natasha stood up quickly, "If I'm not needed here anymore, I think I'll be on my way." She shot a pointed and pained look at Steve. 

"What", Tony looked up from his daze, waving a hand at the red-head. "Oh, right. Yeah you're free to leave", he said dismissively. "You're all free to go, except you two", he pointed at Charlie and Steve. 

Natasha reached a hand across the table once more towards Charlie, taking her fingers in hers this time. "Don't let anyone tell you what you do with your body or with these children", she said softly, her eyes glistening. 

Charlie nodded mutely, confused by the woman's sentiment and sudden urge to leave. "I won't."

The other woman smiled sadly at her before turning and walking swiftly out of the room, Bruce and Rhodes on her heels. 

"Don't worry", Steve spoke from beside her. "Nat's just a little emotional when it comes to kids." 

She looked down, rubbing her stomach tenderly. Her eyes flashed back up at the super soldier. "I can't stay here, Steve", she mumbled softly. "I won't be a lab rat in the Avengers Tower again."

A look of horror crossed the man's fair features. "Is that...is that what you think you were, Charlotte?"

Shame colored the woman's face. "A cage is still a cage, Steve. No matter what you choose to call it."

The captain grimaced at the words, closing his eyes tightly. "No, Charlotte. Please don't say that." He opened shiny blue eyes to her, "We're the good guys here, remember. We helped you last time. We can help you again". 

Charlie shook her head sadly. "I don't want that kind of help, Steve."

He clenched his jaw, for literally about the twentieth time since the meeting had begun. "Right", he muttered, standing up and walking to Tony and bending low to say something in the darker haired man's ear. Stark's eyes looked up briefly towards the woman, as he nodded his head at Steve's words. "Okay", he said finally, standing up from his seat. "I think we've heard literally everything we needed to hear…". He pinched the bridge of his nose, "And then some", he added under his breath. "Ms. Harper, if you would please accompany me, I'll see you out."

Charlie stood up, looking between Tony and Steve. "That's it", she asked, her eyebrows drawn in a line as she reached for her purse with uncertainty. 

Tony nodded his head, "Yep". He walked towards the elevators, pressing the button impatiently. "You coming", he looked at Steve as he held his hand out expectantly towards the girl.

"I think I'll hang back", Steve said. His blue eyes met hers briefly, a hint of something flashing in their clear depths that made Charlie uneasy. 

  
  
"Sure thing, Capsicle. Ms. Harper", Stark questioned as he entered the elevator. "I hope you don't mind, but I need to stop on the next floor to drop something off first."

Charlie looked back once more at Steve before tucking her coat under her arm and heading into the lift behind Tony. "Yeah, of course. No problem."

"Hey Charlotte", Steve called out to her as she stepped over the threshold. "Everything is going to be okay. Remember… we're the good guys", he said, just as the doors closed and the elevator began its descent. 


	12. Caged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Another chapter!! Again, this was written on a cell phone while at work so hopefully there aren't too many mistakes and it reads ok for you guys. I love and appreciate each and every one of you who are still on this journey with me (and Charlie and Loki). And for those of your just joining in, WELCOME!! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. As always, please leave comments and feedback, I truly adore hearing from you guys, the readers!!

The elevator stopped one floor down, opening up to a long hallway with various doors leading off from it. Tony stepped off the lift, extending his hand to Charlie as he did so. "Right this way, Ms. Harper", he said smoothly, tucking her arm tightly into the crook of his. 

She tried pulling her fingers away, to no avail. Her stomach churned violently. "I-- I can just wait here", she stammered, her voice slightly higher in pitch than normal. 

Stark stopped in his tracks, turning to her, his eyes piercing behind the colored glasses he wore. "Is something wrong, Ms. Harper", he asked softly. 

Charlie halted in trying to remove her arm from his grip, looking up from her struggles to turn a confused face on the man. "I don't know", she replied slowly, "Is there, Tony?" 

The man narrowed his eyes at her, chewing his bottom lip, before flashing her a dazzling smile. "Of course not, Charlotte. Like the Captain said, we're the good guys remember." 

"Yeah, I've heard that before", she mumbled under her breath as the man turned back around and pulled her along behind him. They stopped at a door near the other end of the hall. A thick, gray steel; nondescript in every way. "This is your lab", Charlie questioned, her eyes scanning the plain, heavy door with skepticism. 

Tony pressed a finger to a keypad on the wall beside the door, the high-tech screen turning from red to green before emitting a beep and the door swinging open on it's own. "Something like that", he muttered as he pulled her through the door and into a large foyer. 

Charlie walked forward slightly, Stark having finally let go of her arm as he flipped a switch just inside the wall. Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkened room. "Are we in an apartment", she asked as she took another step further away from Tony into the room. 

Tony ignored her, instead checking his phone before opening his mouth. "Friday", he called out, prompting a female voice to respond. 

"Yes, Mr. Stark?"

"Initiate detainee protocol 4.0", he said loudly, his eyes locking briefly with Charlie's as she spun around and turned bewildered violet orbs on him. 

"Tony", she managed to get out before steel bars shot down from the ceiling, separating her from Stark with the barricade.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Harper. It's for the best though", he said, his mouth turned up in a sad smile as he threw his hands up and shrugged. 

"What the fuck", Charlie sputtered. "Let me out of here". She looked around, before looking back at the man, her eyes wide with fear. 

He just shrugged his shoulders again. "Friday is available on a limited basis to you, Ms. Harper. She controls the lights, temperature… all the normal housekeeping stuff. The kitchen and bathroom should be stocked with some essentials. Make a list of any items you may need. In the meantime, meals will be brought to you." 

Tony looked back down at his phone as the ringtone filled the quiet space. He held up a finger to the woman as he pressed a button and held the phone up to his ear. "Yeah", he answered. 

Charlie let out a scream. "Help! Help me! My name is Charlotte Harper. I'm being held at Stark Tower on the 89th floor." 

The man shot her an annoyed glare. "Yeah, she's in the apartment ", he said into the device. "She's not too happy with the situation here, Rogers. Look for yourself." 

When the name reached her ears, she let out a soft sob, sinking down to the floor by the steel bars. 

"Right", Stark was saying. "Will do, Cap." He pressed another button, ending the call before tucking his phone back into the jacket of his tailored suit. 

"Please", Charlie sobbed. "You don't have to do this. I'm not any kind of threat." 

Tony stepped forward, crouching down by the gate, directly in front of the woman. "But Loki is", he finally said quietly. His dark eyes bore into her, their intensity frightening. 

"He's not", she replied. "Not anymore. He's not like that. He was being controlled by that thing as much as any of us under its spell were." 

He just shook his head, letting out a deep sigh. "You've been compromised, kid", he said sadly. "Just wish you could see that." He pushed his hands on his knees, standing back up to his full height. "A doctor will be in to check on you in the morning."

"I already have a doctor ", Charlie said between clenched teeth, her eyes purple-tinged blue fire.

Tony scoffed. "Oh really? And is that doctor equipped to deal with a pregnancy such as this?" 

She shifted on the floor, her eyes turning from his uncomfortably. 

"Hmm", he asked again. 

"No", she shook her head and said softly.

Tony cocked his head towards the bars, cupping his ear theatrically. "I beg your pardon, I can't seem to hear you", he said.

"No goddamn it. I don't, ok", Charlie yelled. 

"Yeah", he said, drawing the word out as he rocked back on his heels. "Didn't think so."

She gritted her teeth angrily. "I hate you", she whispered, "I hate all of you". 

Stark pursed his lips. "Sure, kid", he said breezily. He backed away from the gate, placing his finger to the keypad once more, the steel door opening behind him as he kept his eyes trained on her while he exited. "Check the place out, would ya? Might find it's not so bad, hm." 

Charlie let out a screech as she pulled herself up by the bars. "Fuck you, Stark", she screamed. Her eyes fixed on the camera above the door, "And fuck you too, Captain goddamn America."

Tony winced, his hand over his heart. "You hit right where it hurts kid", he said. "And for goodness sake, watch your language!" He chuckled as he backed into the hall, finger on the keypad. "Oh, I hope you like Italian", he said with a wink before the door closed resoundingly in front of him, leaving Charlie alone in the dim light. 

"Fuck", she screamed, shaking the bars with all her strength. The cold metal didn't budge. She pressed her forehead against the steel, tears streaming down her face. She pressed a hand to her middle, her fingers lightly stroking her belly. "Out of the pan and right into the fire this time, guys", she whispered, her head jerking up at the camera, paranoia creeping in at her. She turned herself away from the bars, her back pointedly to the camera over the door. She wouldn't give those bastards the pleasure of seeing her breakdown. 

Hell, they already thought she was…what... brainwashed or something? What was it Tony had said; 'You're compromised, kid.' Ugh! What bullshit! The Earth's mighty Avengers… lecturing her about being compromised? When a reformed Russian assassin was a part of their team, and they housed a former Soviet killing machine within their walls. 

Charlie walked forward into the apartment. Her eyes could barely make out shapes in the shadows as she held her hands out cautiously, feeling her way through the dark. Her shin suddenly collided with something hard, causing the woman to stumble, a slew of curses falling from her mouth. 

"Are you alright, Ma'am", a female voice called out. "Do you require any medical assistance?" 

Charlie stopped muttering profanities and looked around,... were there cameras in here as well? The thought unnerved her. 

"Ma'am", Friday called out again.

She shook herself, rubbing her bare shin below the hem of her dress. "No, no. I'm fine. Can you turn on some lights for me", she voiced before finishing with a soft, "Please?"

"Yes ma'am", the A.I. responded, before bright, warm light filled the room.

Charlie's eyes took in the space clearly for the first time. The place was enormous! She could fit her tiny apartment in the space at least three times over. The open living room connected to a vast kitchen and dining area; and the back wall wasn't even a wall at all, but instead floor to ceiling glass with a view over the city below. Pristine marble floors flowed seamlessly from one area to the next. On her left was a set of frosted glass doors with polished silver handles. She walked to the doors, pushing them open to a large bedroom swathed in varying shades of cream and white. The place was modern opulence, all shiny and high-tech, just like the rest of the tower. "Wow", she breathed, turning around in wonder.

A sudden noise by the bars caught her attention. A beep filled the quiet space, before a voice called her name. "Charlotte", Steve said as he closed the steel door behind him soundly. 

Charlie ran around the corner, skidding to a stop just inside the living room. Her eyes fell on the super soldier as he balanced a tray in one hand and a few shopping bags in his other.

"Friday", he called out. "Raise the bars please". 

The woman watched in shock as the steel bars slid back into the ceiling smoothly, opening the foyer space up once more. Steve stepped forward, smiling as he walked through to the large island that sat in the nearby kitchen, placing the tray and bags down on top. 

"I hope you're hungry", he said, moving around to pull out plates and silverware. 

Charlie looked between Steve and the open foyer. As soon as he turned to open the fridge, she bolted forward. She reached the metal door just as she heard Steve close the refrigerator.

"Charlotte", he shouted. 

Her eyes went to the keypad beside the door. She frantically touched her fingertips to it, the screen staying red. "No, no, no, no", she mumbled, taping the screen with rising panic. She saw Steve round the corner, his hands on his hips as a frown marred his face. "Friday", she said loudly. "Lower the bars". 

Nothing happened. Steve let out a sigh as he bowed his head, eyes focused on the floor before coming back up to settle on her, disappointment in their blue depths. "Friday, lower the bars! Lower the fucking bars", she screamed. "Please! Just lower the bars. Just-- just let me out. Open the door." She tapped at the keypad before closing her fist and hitting it with all her strength. A sickening crunch sounded as her fingers crumpled into her closed hand. Charlie let out a hoarse cry as she fell to the floor, cradling her hand close to her chest. 

Steve just stood there before walking through the frosted doors, coming back with a small first aid kit. He crossed the space and knelt down beside her, taking her hand and examining it closely. 

"That was a very stupid thing to do, Charlotte", he said as he manipulated her fingers, causing her to whimper loudly by the time he got to her ring finger and pinky. His jaw clenched tightly as he focused angry eyes on her. "Well, looks like you've broken two of your fingers, tell me was it worth it? What did you actually accomplish here, Charlotte?" 

He opened the red case, pulling out gauze bandaging. "A doctor will be here in the morning to check on the babies. I'll have Tony ring him and ask to bring a splint in for these two fingers of yours too. Until then, I'm afraid this will just have to suffice."

She grimaced as he placed a wooden tongue depressor from the kit on either side of her fingers, and wrapped the bandage snugly around them. 

"I'm sorry", he said in a soothing voice. "I know it hurts. We're almost done." He tied off the ends of the gauze and tucked them securely in the bandage. "There we go, all done. Let's go get you something to eat, hm. What'd ya say? That sound okay?" 

He stood up, tucking the box under his arm as he held out a hand to her. She looked warily up at the outstretched palm, balling her uninjured hand into a fist of defiance by her side. "There's no way out of here, Charlotte", he said quietly, hand closing on her elbow instead and pulling her to her feet. 

He propelled her into the kitchen, stopping at one of the sleek, gray barstools and pushing her into it. Charlie looked down at the plate before her. Steaming rigatoni sat in the middle of the pristine white, a torn hunk of bread lay rustically to its right. As loathe as she was to admit it, her mouth watered at the food. She couldn't remember the last time she actually ate. The stale doughnut she'd crammed into her mouth at work this morning? Probably. Not that it mattered, she'd lost that and anything else on her stomach earlier in the meeting on the 90th floor. 

Steve sat a glass of sparkling water down in front of her. "Here ya go. I hope this is all okay", he said gesturing to the spread before them.

Charlie nodded her head, grabbing for the glass of water and taking a small sip, the bubbles tickling the back of her throat. "It looks great", she said in a small voice. 

He smiled and reached out a hand, touching her arm gently. "Hey, it's okay to feel the way you're feeling." He chuckled and shook his head, "I mean, I get it. I'd be pretty upset myself. But Charlotte, you have to see it from our perspective here, given the situation." His crystal clear eyes locked on hers with a pleading look. 

She jerked her arm from under the weight of his hand. "I don't have to see any fucking thing,... Steve", she said savagely, drawing out his name with a hiss. She flew off her seat, causing the stool to clatter noisily to the marble floor. "All I can see here, Captain, is a group of self-righteous assholes who think just because they have the money, or the strength, or the goddamn guts to kill people that they have the right to control the lives of everyday people." 

Steve stepped around the island, his face stern. "Watch your language", he gritted out, his voice gravelly.

Her eyes shone brightly in her pale face. "My language? My language", she scoffed. "Who cares about my fucking language!"

He reached out and grasped her upper arms. "Charlotte!" 

She twisted in his grip, her anger boiling inside of her like molten lava. " Don't you dare, Charlotte me! You have me held hostage here, Steve! And all because of-- of what", she stammered.

"You know why", he shouted. "My god Charlotte, you're carrying Loki's children! Can't you see where that might be cause for some concern here?" 

Charlie felt the fire within her suddenly die out as she fell limply against his chest, sobs wracking her body harshly. Steve put his arms around her, shushing her as he rubbed her back. "It's okay", he soothed. "Believe it or not, I'm really not the bad guy here. We're just trying to keep you safe, Charlotte. You, and your children safe." 

She pulled away to peer up at him, her own face damp from her tears. "That wasn't your call to make though", she whispered as she turned sad eyes around the room. "I need him, Steve", she said finally turning back towards him. "I don't know why, but I do. And these children, the ones you all claim to be trying so hard to protect, will never be accepted on this earth. They'll never be safe here, and you know it." 

He sighed, shaking his head as he ran a hand over his eyes. He turned from her and walked back to the other side of the large island. "You should eat your food before it gets cold. There's extra in the fridge. Along with some milk and eggs, the usual stuff." He pointed a finger at the shopping bags still on the counter. "There's some toiletries in there. Wasn't really sure what you might need though. Oh, and there's prenatal vitamins in there as well. They tell me women are supposed to take those nowadays." 

Charlie looked at him incredulously. "What", she breathed. "You're just-- you're just going to ignore everything I just said to you?" 

Steve licked his bottom lip before pulling the plump skin between his teeth. He shot her a single warning look before tucking his hands into the pockets of his starched khakis. "Get some food in you, a hot bath maybe, and some good rest, Charlotte. You'll feel better in the morning, and your head will be a little clearer. We can help you through this... just like last time." She watched him walk casually towards the door, looking back to give her a tight smile. "Friday", he called.

"No, no, no", she yelled, scrambling towards the man in the foyer. "Please don't, Steve. Don't do this. Don't leave me here! I have to get back to Loki! You're not protecting me or these babies keeping us here. Please! We need him", her voice was shrill, as her pitch increased with each word from her panic. 

Steve just narrowed his eyes as he waited for her tirade to end. "Friday", he said again, "lower the bars". 

The steel gate came swiftly down. "No", she sobbed. "Steve, please! No!" 

The super soldier looked at her with pity and disappointment in his eyes. "It'll get better", he muttered. "Just hang in there, Charlotte." And with those words he exited the apartment, leaving the woman once again trapped within a beautiful cage.


	13. Watching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been really busy lately guys, sorry. Hopefully, I can get another chapter out to you all soon!! Again, as seems to be the new norm with my schedule and work, this was written on a cell phone, so if it reads funny, please don't hesitate to let me know. Hope you guys enjoy! Thanks for reading, and please leave me a comment if you feel so inclined to do so! xoxo

Steve was wrong. A meal and a hot bath didn't do anything to ease Charlie's troubled mind. And by the next morning, when she finally pulled herself from the soft confines of her bed, she was just as weary as she had been the night before. 

But her stomach grumbled at her threateningly, forcing her to throw the covers back with a sigh. She would be glad when her first trimester ended, having read that morning sickness usually waned by then. Here's hoping, she thought cynically as she ran to the adjoining en suite, falling to her knees before the toilet. 

"Ugh", she groaned aloud, wiping her mouth and standing up gingerly. "You two aren't making this whole pregnancy thing easy on me, you know."   


  
Charlie stood in front of the mirrored sink, her eyes taking in her gaunt figure. She looked sickly. No, more than that. She looked like this pregnancy was literally sucking the very life from her body. What happened to that glow everyone talked about with expectant mothers? 

"Oh Loki", she said softly,her eyes filling with tears. "Why did you do this to me? Why have you abandoned me?" 

She broke down, hands braced on the counter gripping the edge tightly. The hot tears streamed down her face as she wailed. She felt as if her heart was being ripped from her chest. 

For the first time since being back on earth, the weight of everything fell heavily on Charlie's shoulders. She mourned. Mourned Loki, mourned being pregnant and alone, mourned being stuck in this god-forsaken tower yet again. The cry that tore from her throat was raw and viscerally broken. 

"Charlotte", Steve's voice echoed as he entered the apartment, his footsteps falling heavily as he sped through the barrier and into her room.

He stopped suddenly just inside the door, seeing the sobbing woman as she clung to the bathroom sink for dear life. He tried making out her words but couldn't, everything just blended together into garbled cries. 

Steve moved further into the room, slowly and cautiously so as not to scare her. When he reached the door frame of the bathroom, she turned in surprise, her face a mottled canvas. "I-- I", she hiccupped. Her hand stretched out towards him before she fell forward with another wail. 

He instinctively grabbed for the woman, his hands wrapping firmly around her waist as he pulled her against his chest. "Hey, hey, hey", he said gently, "now what's all this about, hm?" 

Charlie just continued crying on the solidness of his massive chest, her tears leaving wet patches on the pale blue button-up. 

"Charlotte", his voice was soothing, yet firm. He pulled her carefully from him, holding onto her upper arms as he did so. His brow furrowed low on his forehead while his eyes roamed her face.

Her tear-stained cheeks and desperate eyes caused Steve's heart to clench in fear. His eyes bore into her. "It's not, oh god", he whispered. He brought his hands from her arms to her stomach, his fingertips softly ghosting across the tiny bump. His bright blue eyes came back to hers, "It's not", his voice choked on the words. 

Charlie stepped back, blinking her confusion up at him as her sobs died down. "What", she asked, his hand still heavy against her middle. She looked down at the appendage, realisation dawning on her suddenly.

"Oh no", she shook her head. "No Steve, nothing like that. Everything's fine with the twins, I mean at least I think it is…" 

Her voice trailed off as she took in the relief that washed over him as he let out a sigh. "Thank god", he said pulling her back into him and his chest. "Oh thank god Charlotte. When I saw you, when I saw your face… my god if I didn't fear the worst." 

"I'm fine", she said quietly, trying to pull away from his crushing embrace. 

"I hear them now", he said. "I was just so scared… so, so scared." He rubbed her back before his face came down to the top of her head, his nose just barely nuzzling her curls. 

"What are you doing, Steve", she whispered.

The super soldier pulled away quickly, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I'm just glad you're okay", he murmured, "all three of you."

Charlie just stared at the man. " I'm fine… we're fine", she finally reiterated as she moved past him and out of the room. "I'm not really your concern, you know", she called back over her shoulder, walking into the kitchen and heading for the tea kettle on the stove. 

Steve was by her side in an instant, taking the kettle from her hands to fill it up with water. He motioned to one of the barstools with a nod of his head. His jaw was tense as he chewed on his bottom lip.

"Someone has to look out for you, Charlotte", he said tightly, moving towards the gas range to crank it on as he placed the kettle down to boil.

She didn't move towards the stools, but instead stood by the sink, her face a mixture of confusion and indignation. "I beg your pardon", she said curtly.

Steve turned from the stove, his face like stone. "I said sit down", he said darkly, his eyes looking from her to the barstools pointedly.

Charlie let out a bark of laughter, short and filled with her anger. "No", she said leathly, stepping up to the large man. She poked him in the chest with a lone finger. "You're not the boss of me, Steve Rogers. And last time I checked", she moved in closer, her eyes narrowed slits, "You aren't the father to my children, so their welfare really _**isn't** _any of your concern". 

The man grabbed her elbow roughly and propelled her towards the stool, pushing her down hard in the seat. "And where exactly is their father, hm", he growled down at her. 

Her anger boiled inside her. How dare he, she thought to herself as she slapped his hand away from her shoulder. "Fuck you, Steve", she spat. "If you all would've just helped me like I asked, I wouldn't be here to begin with. I'd _**be** _with their father!" 

Her voice was loud, her words echoing around the room. Steve sighed loudly, running a hand over his eyes as he bowed his head, his body still in front of hers on the stool. He looked up finally, his hands falling from his face to either side of his hips. His normally blue eyes were dark as his pupils filled the space. 

"You're going to watch your mouth around here, young lady." He bent down over her, causing the woman to shrink back into her seat. "And last time I checked, Loki was the one who sent you back. He didn't want you Charlotte." 

His hands moved from his hips to her stomach, cradling it between gentle fingers, his eyes softening as he looked down at his hands. "He doesn't want these children. He doesn't understand what a miracle having children is, but I do", he brought his eyes back up to hers. "Charlotte, back in my day a man was only as good as the legacy he left behind. Loki is a maniac who fancies himself a god--" 

"He is a god", she interrupted, causing the man to scoff.

"Yeah, well last time I checked there was only one God, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't look like that!" 

Charlie pushed his hands off of her. "He doesn't know about the babies", she said with venom. "If he did, he'd--" 

"He'd what", Steve challenged. "What exactly do you think a man obsessed with being a king, with subjugating people to his will, would do if his reign was threatened?" He pointed to her belly, "What exactly do you think those two in there mean to him and to that rule of his?" 

Her mind was telling her he might be right, but her heart told her something different. She shook her head, curls bouncing around her head. "No, Loki isn't--- he just isn't this… this dictator you seem to think he is. This isn't World War two still, Steve, not every ruler is a tyrannical and genocidal murderer", she stammered out.

The kettle began its sharp whistle, breaking the heavy silence between the two of them. The only other sound that had filled the space had been Charlie's heavy breathing after her tirade.

Steve just stared at her, before throwing his hands up and turning back to the stove. He moved the kettle off the gas, reaching for a teacup and saucer in the nearby cabinet. He busied himself with making her tea, his back a solid wall to the seated woman. "Milk and sugar", he asked, never turning around. 

Charlie sat quietly, her lips a tight line, refusing to speak. She heard his deep sigh before he muttered something that sounded like "Fine then", under his breath. He turned to sit the cup down in front of her, stepping back from the island to lean his back on the counter behind him, arms crossed defensively across his chest. 

"Look", he said, his tone softer this time, "I'm not expecting miracles here, but I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to like it, but I'm with you till the end of the line on this one, Charlotte." 

Charlie tucked her chin to her chest, eyes downcast. "I didn't ask that of you though." She turned violet eyes up to him, her voice growing louder from her boldness. "You're not their father, Steve. You'll never be their father, but that doesn't mean you can't be a father." 

She reached a hand across the polished marble top towards him. "You're Captain America, for goodness sake! Women must be lined up around the block for the chance at a family with you..."

"I've tried", he cut in. 

"What? You… you've tried", Charlie questioned. "What do you mean, you've tried?" 

Steve pushed off from the counter, leaning across the island, his face just inches from hers. "What do you think it means, Charlotte? I'm pretty sure you know how this works", he gestured to her stomach with a simple nod of his head. 

She squirmed uncomfortably. Her fingers grabbed at her cup just to give herself something to focus on other than the blond man across from her. 

"I'm sterile", he said. "One of the downsides of the super soldier serum, apparently." His voice was brittle. 

Charlie let out a small gasp. Now it all made sense. " Steve, I'm not your chance at a family", she whispered, tears in her eyes.

He slammed his fist down on the hard stone surface between them, making the woman jump in her seat. "I'd give anything to have been given the miracle he was. And he doesn't even want it", he yelled. "He doesn't even deserve it!" 

She just stared at the amber liquid in her cup, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes and splashing silently onto the counter. She didn't know what to say, words escaped her completely. All she knew was she wanted the dark god. Her dark god. 

Steve cleared his throat, his perfect composure back in place. "I'm-- I'm sorry", he stuttered. He looked suddenly at his watch. "Wow, it's already 8:30. Your doctor's appointment is in about an hour." He turned towards the fridge."How about some eggs and toast before we get you ready and down to the medical center?" 

"Medical center", she echoed questioningly. 

"Um yeah", he responded, voice muffled as he dug around on the shelves of the refrigerator. He pulled out the carton of eggs and some veggies, placing them on the countertop.

"We're leaving the tower", Charlie asked with thinly veiled hope.

Steve looked up from the peppers and onions he was dicing to focus his clear blue eyes on her. "No", he said sternly, before turning his gaze and attention back to the vegetables before him. "The medical center is on the 82nd floor. It houses our private hospital facilities for the Avengers, along with Bruce and Tony's labs, respectively." 

She fell back into her seat. "Oh", she mumbled. 

He looked up again at her briefly from under his lashes. "Why don't you go ahead and get ready while I finish up in here?" 

Charlie felt her despair coming back on. She was never going to get out of this place. And at first, she thought her being here was all about Loki. Now, she had the feeling that Steve was pulling more strings within this whole thing than she had first imagined. 

He moved towards the stove, pointing at her and then her bedroom with a flick of the knife he held. "Go on, Charlotte." His tone was final.

She clenched her jaw, biting her tongue. The discussion was hardly over for Charlie but his tone brokered no argument. In his mind, regardless of how she felt or what she wanted, the decision was made.

As she drug her feet against the cold floor, she looked back over her shoulder at the super soldier. His huge form crowded the kitchen as he went about cracking eggs, humming to himself and completely oblivious to the girl that stood watching him. He's not such a bad consolation prize ya know, a voice said in the back of her mind. If she was going to be saddled with two children all at once, having an Avenger on her side wasn't too bad an idea.

As she closed the door, she fell on the bed with a loud oomph. "I don't want Steve", she said aloud but softly, she knew his hearing was superhuman. "I want Loki. I want your father", she whispered as she rubbed her middle.

"You okay in there", she heard Steve call out. "Eggs are almost done." 

Charlie groaned. He was so… annoying. But he wasn't going to let up, at least not anytime soon. She actually found herself hoping these two would come out blue-skinned and red-eyed at this point. Maybe America's boy scout would change his mind about wanting to raise them as his own then. 

"Loki", she said. "Where are you Loki? Can you not see me… hear me at least? I need you. We need you…"

"Food's ready", Steve yelled. 

Charlie pulled on her dress quickly, and hurried towards the waiting man. "We need you so badly, Loki", she reiterated before walking back into the lion's den. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The golden eyed man stood at his post, his constantly opened mind hearing and seeing everything. 

_ **"Loki? Where are you Loki? Can you not see me… hear me at least? I need you. We need you…" ** _

The woman's words fell upon his ears first, causing the man to focus eagle eyes on their source. A dark-haired woman in a short gray dress stood cradling her middle, crying out for the Asgardian son. 

Himdall narrowed his penetrating gaze on the small figure, a sound of surprise escaping his lips. "Heirs for Asgard", he said aloud, his voice pensive. 

He looked back at the palace, glinting in the bright midday sun. This was news that he must get to the two brothers quickly. The whole future of the kingdom now resided on Midgard, within a tiny, fragile human woman. The power that woman now held, she truly had no idea… 


	14. Princes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry guys for the extended delay. Not only did life get hectic, but then the whole world just turned upside down. I pray that every single person that comes across the story stays safe and healthy during these crazy, uncertain, and unprecedented times. I am home these days, as my job has closed indefinitely at this time. These days, I am spending my time as a homeschooling mom now, which is a big change but it certainly has its ups, as I know get to spend my days with my two favorite little people! I had some insane writer's block on this chapter guys, and as hard as it was to get out, it has been really cathartic to just sit down and write again, especially during these scary times. Hopefully, I can get more chapters out now that my days have morphed into something slower, and not have any of you waiting so long between updates. I send love and good vibes to you all, please stay safe and blessed lovlies!! xoxo ~LLL~

Loki pushed himself from his bed. Cold, green eyes glanced back at the naked woman lying against the silks. Some unknown, unnamed Asgardian whore. He had tried satisfying his needs, tried to forget the little Midgardian with this mere shell of a woman. But everything was wrong. Tall and lithe, with sun-kissed skin and golden hair, her body was lean, her curves taunt. 

As he bedded her, all he could think of was the softness of the other woman... his woman. Her violet eyes and dark curls, the way her skin smelled of clean air and lilacs and warm musk, the soft mewls she made as she clung to him through the highs and lows of their love-making. No, this whore could never compare. And whatever “needs” she might have filled, she certainly didn’t satisfy any of them. 

With a sigh, he walked over to his desk, his fingers ghosting over the soft leather of the Midgardian’s journal. He picked up the tome, and strode to a nearby chair in front of the still smoldering fireplace. Loki plopped down in the soft plushness, throwing his long legs over the arm as he settled back and opened the book. 

He had spent hours consumed within this book. Reading and re-reading her words, eyes pouring over the still images she’d sketched. She used words and sketches to capture emotion in such a way that he felt his heart shatter each time he got lost amongst the pages. 

This time, he let the book fall to a random page. It opened to the drawing of him cradled in her lap on the bed with his eyes closed and face free from any concern, true peace. He felt his throat constrict. In her arms, and her arms alone, had he known peace. 

“And you sent her away, you fool”, he whispered to himself, emerald eyes swimming with tears. 

A sudden knock sounded on the door, pulling the god from his thoughts as the whore in his bed jumped up with a snort, eyes bleary with sleep. 

“M’lord”, she stammered, as she scrambled from the massive bed with the second burst of knocking. 

A rumbling voice boomed just outside, “Brother!” There was an urgency to Thor’s voice. 

Loki waved a dismissive hand at the woman. “Clothe yourself and leave from here”, he hissed, yanking the heavy chamber doors open to the fair god on the other side. 

Thor’s hands were braced on either side of the doorframe, head bowed down as the doors flung open. His golden head jerked up. “Brother”, he said again, before stopping mid-sentence as his eyes took in the partially dressed woman behind Loki.

He grinned salaciously at the dark god. “My, my, my Brother”, he chuckled, “and here I thought you would never get the Midgardian from your mind. Seems you’ve found just as enjoyable company. Lady Meera certainly knows how to satisfy a man. A very fine substitute”. He tipped his head in acknowledgment at the preening whore. 

Loki snarled. “She is hardly any comparison to my Midgardian.” His words were vicious, dripping with disgust. 

The woman behind him let out a shrill yelp. “A Midgardian”, she screeched. “You dare compare me to a mere Midgardian?” The outrage in her voice was heavy. 

The god turned on the woman, his face a dark contortion of his normal countenance. “If you value your life, you paltry husk of a woman, I suggest you had better close that mouth of yours and leave these chambers now.”

The woman looked from the dark god to the fair one still leaning just inside the door. “Is he serious”, she asked. 

Thor just shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, my dearest Meera, I do believe in this case my Brother is indeed, serious.”

She gathered the skirts of her sheer gown in a clenched fist as she stomped past both men, muttering under her breath. “I have never in all my years… a Midgardian… by Norns, a fucking Midgardian.”

The blond god laughed, pinching the woman on the ass as she stormed by. “My doors are always open to you, the finest of Asgardian whores”, he said with a wink. 

The woman turned stormy eyes towards Loki, “at least there is one Asgardian Prince who knows the value of a real Asgardian woman”, she said with a sneer. 

Loki growled low, his arms flinging outwards as twin daggers appeared in each palm, twitching steadily. He advanced towards the whore, blades raised. “I told you to hush your filthy mouth”, he said. “You are no real woman, Asgardian or not! And you could never hold a candle to Charlotte Harper.” As her name passed his lips with a roar, he ran at the wide-eyed Meera with pure rage. 

Thor threw the woman behind his bulky form just as his brother came to a skidding halt before him. “Enough of this foolishness”, he bellowed. “I suggest you leave now Meera. Speak not of this…” 

The woman made a noise. Thor looked over his shoulder, sighing loudly at the woman’s outstretched palm. “You will be paid for your time, do not fret over your pay. Royals always pay their way.” With those words he nodded his chin upwards at the woman, dismissing her. 

Loki paced back and forth before his brother, knives still in his hands. He felt a shudder pass through his body, his skin shimmering frost blue for a second before going back to his usual pale. 

“Calm yourself”, Thor whispered hoarsely, throwing the doors closed suddenly as he moved forward to clap his brother on the shoulder. “What if someone had seen…”

The dark god slapped his brother’s hand away, “If someone had seen what, Brother”, he snarled. His skin shifted back to blue, his eyes going blood-red. Thor’s face turned away in repulsion. Loki let out a low laugh. “Seen this? Seen my true form”. 

Thor shook his head, eyes still not meeting the predatory, unholy red ones of the man before him. “This is not your true form, Loki. You are an Asgardian prince. You are not this m…”

“This what”, Loki screamed. “Say it. Say it, Brother”, the last word he said with thinly veiled sarcasm, his voice dripping with insinuation. He stopped his pacing and stood toe to toe with the other god. “This monster”, Loki said in little more than a whisper, but his words resounded around the silent room. 

Thor shook his head again, finally turning to look fully on his brother. “No”, his voice gravelly, ocean blue eyes bright with emotion, “You are not this… man. The son of Frigga is better than this. You, Loki, are better than this. You are so concerned with being the monster that you think you are, that you have forgotten the man that you actually are”. 

All the breath left Loki’s lungs suddenly, his eyes going wide as he stared at Thor. “Do not bring our mother into this”, he said quietly. The dark god shuddered once more, his skin shifting back as he sat down wearily on the edge of his bed. “It’s below the belt, even for you…”

“I used to think Mother was your only weakness”, Thor mumbled as he moved to sit down beside Loki on the edge of the bed. His bright eyes locked with his brother’s as a blond brow arched in amusement. “Seems like the Midgardian strikes just as much of a nerve within you, if not more.”

Loki cocked his head at his brother, his face scowling and dark. “Don’t you dare”, he said tightly. 

Thor let out a deep bark of laughter. “Dare what? Speak to you of this Midgardian that has apparently ensnared you, Loki, god of Mischief, prince of Asgard, Heir to Jotunnheim?” The blond man wiped his face with a heavy hand as he let out a low whistle. “I mean, I get it. There certainly is something about the woman.”

Loki’s fist collided with Thor’s face in a sickening crunch. “Don’t you dare even think her name”, he screamed as he pummeled his startled brother. “You pretended to be her friend, you pretended to be this righteous and good being, all while you plotted…” 

Blood poured from Thor’s nose as he struggled to gain the upper hand. For all his size and strength, it was nothing in that moment under the swift rage of Loki. 

“Plotted to plow your filthy cock inside her. Inside MY Midgardian.” Loki’s words were barely more than shouts and grunts of pure fury as his fists continued in their assault. 

“Brother”, Thor groaned, “Please, brother”. 

Loki smiled wickedly down at his bloodied relative, eyes holding no mirth. “Please”, he hissed. “Please? Is that what she said to you as you raped her?”

“No more than she said to you as did the same”, Thor roared, throwing Loki off from him and across the room, his eyes blazing and fingertips sizzling with electricity. 

Loki sneered. “Is your little parlor trick supposed to frighten me, dear Brother? Me… who could end your miserable life with just a mere touch from my Frost Giant form.”

Thor growled at the dark god. “Why don’t you try it then”, he taunted. 

A guttural cry erupted, echoing around the chamber before Loki charged forward. “I will end you, you fucking charlatan!”

“Is this any way for the Princes of Asgard to behave? Like bloody wild animals”, a voice boomed angrily from the doorway. 

Thor turned in surprise as Loki stopped in his tracks. “Heimdall”, the two said in unison. 

The golden-eyed man shook his head in disgust. “What would the Allfather and Allmother say to such behavior?”

Loki looked towards his brother, who had his eyes downwards in silent submission, heavy hand rubbing the back of his neck. The dark god turned his sharp eyes back to the man before them, his brilliant bronze armor glinting from the streaming sun casting around the room from the opened windows. 

“Our mother would give us both a boxing around the ears”, Loki said with a fond chuckle. “Forgive us, Heimdall, Watchman of the gods. My brother and I...”, Loki let out a strangled cough. “We momentarily forgot ourselves”, he finished with an apologetic grimace.

Heimdal let out a soft grunt in response, his eagle gaze fixated not on either brother but staring out the windows to some faraway place that only he could see. “I come to you both with news. Great news...” With a deep sigh, he finally turned his gaze to first Thor then to Loki, “For both of you, but most importantly for all of Asgard.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie lay on the table, a paper gown covered her top half and a thick white blanket her lower. The doctor sat to her right on a rolling seat, the large monolith of the high-tech machine directly in front of him. 

“I’m right here with you, Charlotte”, Steve said above her head, his hand heavy and warm on her shoulder. 

She nodded her head mutely. This wasn’t her first scan, she wasn’t sure why she felt like such a bundle of raw nerves. The doctor squeezed the cold jelly on her stomach, his brown eyes friendly. Charlie thought she vaguely remembered him from her time at the tower years ago. 

The rounded end of the doppler touched her belly. “Alright you two, here we go”, the doctor said with a smile before turning back to the screen. 

The hazy sound of the ultrasound filled the room, a strangely static noise like being underwater, before two steady bump, bump, bumps echoed around the room with a strong cadence. “Ah, there we are”, the doctor said triumphantly. He moved the monitor towards her and Steve, his face still beaming. The 3D image before her showed two little round faces, snuggled together closely. 

“Now, how far along was it that you said you were, Ms. Harper”, the doctor asked, looking at the screen and taking some measurements before looking back expectantly at her. 

Charlie took her eyes off the two tiny beings, her eyes locking with the doctor’s. “Um, let’s see. I was measuring in at 10 weeks at my last appointment, which was about 2 weeks ago now. So… 12 weeks”, she said with uncertainty. 

The doctor frowned at her, looking back at the ultrasound monitor, fiddling with keys as he retook measurements. He turned back to Charlie, his face holding confusion. “And who was your doctor before coming here, Ms. Harper?”

“Dr. Johnson, over at Family’s OBGYN”, she said quickly. “Is there something wrong”, her eyes roaming from the doctor to the images on the screen. She felt Steve squeeze her shoulder reassuringly. She shot bright lavender eyes up to him, the worry evident on his face too. 

The doctor shook his head. “Oh, no. Nothing’s wrong, Ms. Harper. I just,” he gave them an apologetic smile, “well it's just that there is no way you are only 12 weeks.”

Steve was the first one to speak. “She’s not?” His hand moved from her shoulder to gesture to her bump. “Isn’t she a little small to be more than 12 weeks though? I mean, is it common for a doctor to get this wrong?” His questions were direct and fast, like gunfire at the doctor. 

The doctor held up his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa there Captain Rogers. One question at a time.”

Charlie grabbed at Steve’s arm, pulling his hand down to meet her fingers. “Steve, stop. Let the man speak”, she said softly, her tone causing the super soldier to look down at her with those stern, blue eyes of his before he shrugged and threw his other hand up in deference. 

She squeezed his hand in a silent thank you. “So, doctor”, she began, “I suppose you had best start with the first and most obvious question here; how far along are you saying I am by your measurements?”

The man reached a hand up to rub at his temple, before pointing at some numbers at the screen. “Well, Ms. Harper, it appears that you are more around 20 weeks. Some mothers don’t show as quickly at first, especially with their first pregnancy. While your bump may appear small to you, you are not unusual in this case at all. In fact, I would say you are about average, perhaps on the small side yes, but nothing to be concerned with. Give it some time, I am sure you will be wishing you were this small again before it's all over with”, he said with a chuckle. 

Steve cleared his throat loudly. “Well now, that’s great doc, just great but how did the first doctor get this so wrong? You’re telling us she’s 8 weeks ahead of what we originally thought. I mean that is insane…”

Charlie squeezed his hand again. “Steve, please”, she pleaded, her bright eyes silently imploring. She had just as many questions but her patience with the super soldier was wearing thin. For as many questions as she had, getting frustrated with this doctor answered none of them. 

"Damn it, Charlotte. No, don't _ Steve _, me", he exploded, hands thrown up wildly. " You've magically gone from 12 weeks to 20 weeks, just like that?! How is that even possible?" 

He stood there with his jaw clenched before he swore under his breath. "That's it, isn't it Rogers", he mumbled to himself. 

Charlie cocked an eyebrow at him. "That's what", she asked. 

Steve waved a dismissive hand at her. "Doctor, there will be some things about this pregnancy I'll have to fill you in on before Charlotte's next appointment. Of course, on top of HIPAA laws, Tony's NDA covers all procedures within the Tower." 

The doctor turned his head in confusion, his eyes narrowing a bit as he nodded in agreement. "Of course, Captain Rogers. 

Charlie lay on the bed, looking back and forth between the two. "Would someone please tell me what's going on here?" 

Steve just gripped her shoulder, those eyes turning to her for just a moment before back to the doctor. His expression was clear, no more questions. 

"Is there any way we could find out the sex of the twins today, Doc? I know things are much different than back in my day, I'm not quite sure how these things work", he laughed. 

The doctor smiled. "Certainly", he enthused. 

Charlie squirmed uncomfortably. "Shouldn't the father be present for something like this", she murmured. 

The doctor's brown eyes went wide. "You mean", he looked back and forth between the woman and Steve. "You're not…?"

Steve rumbled out another laugh. “Charlotte”, he smiled down at her, but there was no warmth in his eyes. 

She felt her heart shudder, the look in his eyes made her realize there was no point in arguing. 

The doctor’s eyes shifted between the two of them uncomfortably. “So”, he ventured, “will we be finding out the sex today?”

Steve kept his eyes locked on Charlie, his eyebrow raised slightly as his jaw ticked. “That’s up to their mother”, he said quietly, his eyes finally softening just a hair. 

Charlie watched the look that passed over his fair features. Excitement coupled with a hopefulness… at what? At this appointment? At finding out the sex? At the idea of them as some sort of a… family? 

She let out a deep sigh. What did she have to lose at this point. Might as well find out now. Did it matter if Loki was here with her? It wasn’t like he actually could be, at least she had someone with her. Someone that wanted to be here with her at that. The thought gave her pause. She wasn’t quite sure where her thoughts were heading, but she didn’t know if she liked their direction or not. 

“Ms. Harper”, the doctor said, breaking through her musings. 

Charlie mentally shook herself. “Sorry”, she mumbled. “Yeah, let’s go ahead and see. Why not? After all, it seems like we’ll be needing to go shopping sooner rather than later”, she ended with a quiet laugh as she looked up at Steve with an encouraging smile. 

His face broke out into a brilliant grin as he squeezed her arm. “_ Thank you _”, he mouthed down at her, before he focused his attention towards the doctor. 

“Alrighty then. Well, here it goes”, the doctor said, looking at the screen and hitting some buttons. Pictures printed down below the screen, as the man smiled. He turned back to Steve and Charlie, “Congratulations, it looks like you have two healthy baby boys on your hands here”. 

** _Boys_ **

The word reverberated in her mind. Two boys. Loki had two boys. Her heart ached as the thought struck her. No. She had two boys. 

“Boys”, Steve whistled. He looked down at the woman, beaming from ear to ear like the two in her belly where actually his. “You hear that, Charlotte. Two boys.” He bent down swiftly and placed a swift, chaste kiss on her check, his mouth still curled into a splitting smile. 

“I am so happy right now”, he said against her check, before pulling back and reaching across to shake the doctor’s hand. “Thanks again, Doc”. 

Charlie felt her world spin around her. Everything was happening too quickly. Coming back to New York, being pregnant, being held in the Tower again, all this strangeness with Steve… 

And now, as she looked at the happy, smiling man before her she felt the bars to her cages being welded firmly in place. She was stuck; well and truly stuck.


	15. Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, okay guys! So this is taking a turn, one I kind of wanted to take but wasn't so sure I should. But, then I said what the hell and just jumped in, head first. So obviously, while this is STILL a Loki fic, there are some themes of Dark Steve that have popped up. Don't worry your pretty, little black villain-loving hearts though. This is about Loki, it will always be about Loki, Loki and Charlie are its very heart. He's changed, and she's changed him, and their reunion is coming soon! I hope you all like this chapter, today it just poured out of me and although its dark and sadly smut-free, I am really loving it. I hope you all do too! Thank you as always to those of you still reading, those of you just finding this story, and to those of you faithfully commenting! I adore you ALL!!! Much love and good vibes always! xoxo ~LLL~

Loki stumbled back against the bed, reaching out to grab the massive dark post with a trembling hand. “Wh--what”, he stuttered, his eyes wide as he looked up at the man who had just delivered the news. “How can this be? You must be mistaken”, he said with a sudden burst of anger. 

Heimdall just stood staring out the window, his voice low but steady. “There is no mistake, your Highness. The woman carries twin heirs to Asgard, the royal line of the Allfather will continue, our land will continue as it has since its inception.”

Thor let out a hearty laugh. “Don’t you see, Brother”, he beamed. “This solves all of our issues. You have provided the kingdom with heirs! You will be King once again, Loki. And I,... I can leave as I wish.”

The blonde god clapped Heimdall on the back with gusto, before turning to his brother and striding towards him. “This is wonderful news, indeed!”

Loki spun around, his face dark causing the other god to step back involuntarily, his brow scrunching down in confusion. 

“Wonderful”,Loki said. “Wonderful?! I sent her away to save her, you great idiot”, he cried as he slammed a fist against the wall, the plaster cracking. 

The palpable bewilderment of Thor was written plainly on his fair features. “Save her”, he asked, shaking his head as he spoke the words. “Save her from what?”

Loki scoffed. “From what? Surely, Brother you can not be serious?”

At the still confused face of his brother, Loki rolled his eyes, letting loose a deep sigh. “From me, Thor. To save her from me. All I touch turns to dust beneath my feet. She…”, he stopped for a moment, his voice choking slightly with emotion. Loki cleared his throat and continued, “She is the best of all of us, Brother. I have never known a creature so kind, so forgiving in all of my thousand years. She gave me peace, even when I only took from her and gave her hurt and heartache in return.”

He turned to look at his brother, his emerald eyes shining with tears. “I cannot return her to this place. I cannot take what short years this mortal has left and confine them to this… to this cage”, he finished, gesturing around the palace room. 

Thor stood there mutely. He had never seen his brother like this before. The closest he had to comparison was the death of their mother, Frigga. But even then, while Loki mourned greatly for their mother, he had recovered. This Midgardian had broken his brother in a way that Thor was not sure he would ever recover from. 

He threw his arms around Loki suddenly, surprising the dark god as much as himself if he was truly honest, and drew him close to him in a tight embrace. “Perhaps, Brother, that is a choice you must leave in the hands of the Midgardian”, he said quietly, drawing away from Loki as he held onto his shoulder and looked him deep in the eye. 

Loki’s brow drew down low across his forehead. “How can I give her such a choice? Midgardians, they do not even know what is good for them?”

Thor laughed softly, “Brother, if you believed that to be true of this Midgardian you wouldn’t have fallen so hard in love with her”. 

The other god glowered. “Lov---love”, he stammered out. “That’s absurd. I merely do not wish the mortal ill-will. That does not equate to love. A god and Prince of Asgard does not…”.

“Does not, what Brother”, Thor said with a quirked eyebrow. “Who are you trying to convince here, hmm, me or yourself?”

Loki blinked in succession at his brother’s words. Was Thor right? Was this… was this love he felt for his little Midgardian?

“Go to her, Brother. Claim her. Claim your heirs”, Thor said as he smiled knowingly at his brother. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Charlie sat in the warm bath, the salts Steve had added as he ran the water for her floated the soft scent of roses around her. She absentmindedly rubbed her belly tenderly. Her boys. The thought still had her in awe. 

“Charlotte”, Steve’s voice called out just past the bathroom door. “Are you alright in there? Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”

She sighed. He had been by her side all day since her appointment that morning. Every time she tried to get a moment to herself, he was there for some reason or another. He acted every inch the doting father-to-be. Except, the two boys that grew inside of her were not Steve’s, they would never be Steve’s. 

As she looked at the milky water in the tub, she felt her nerves harden. She had to get out of this tower. She had to get away from Steve. She was not his answer for a family, and he was certainly not her salvation in this story. If her boys couldn’t have their real father, then she would be both mother and father to them. 

If these two bore any of their father’s genetics and carried the Frost Giant gene within them, Charlie was terrified to think of what Steve would do. He was an old-fashioned man, with old-fashioned values. She was sure that abortion wasn’t at the top of his list of things he agreed with. But he was also of the same generation that sent children with disabilities to live in “homes”. And as much as he might want the typical American Dream, complete with housewife, kids, and picket fence, two bright blue alien boys with red eyes just didn’t seem like something he would take too kindly to. 

She had to get away. She couldn’t take the risk. She didn’t know what she was going to do, but she needed help. Her mind raced thinking of the remaining Avengers within the tower. Would any of them help her and her boys out of here? 

“Charlotte”, the incessant voice called out again to her, this time a slight impatience coloring the deep cadence. 

“I’m just getting out Steve”, she answered back, pulling the drain and stepping out of the tub. As she dried her body and slipped on a silky robe, she looked at herself in the mirror. “You are the mother of gods, Charlotte Harper. And you will do what you need to do to keep those gods safe”, she whispered to herself, her violet-blue eyes determined. 

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


Charlie pushed her plate away from her, noticing Steve’s frown at the uneaten food she had left. But he pursed his lips, choosing not to say anything, and just reached for the plate and headed towards the sink. The food was, as always, delicious. Simple, comfort food from an era gone-by. Yet, the creamy chicken pot-pie tasted like ash in her mouth. The water felt like poison as she choked it down. 

“Hey Steve”, she called out as she pushed her chair back and stood up, walking towards the kitchen where the super soldier was filling the sink with hot, sudsy water. 

Steve looked back over his shoulder at her, tossing her a kitchen towel. “Here, you dry”, he said, turning back to pile the dishes in the now full sink. 

She let out a pent-up breath as she caught the towel and stood beside him at the sink. As his large hands passed her the first plate, she wiped it carefully, chewing on her bottom lip.

He stopped washing, bringing sudsy hands up to grip the edge of the counter as he bent his head down and sighed. “What is it, Charlotte”, he asked quietly. 

Charlie sat the gleaming white dish down on the marble countertop, her teeth still worrying with her lip as she turned her upper body to him slightly. “Steve, what did you mean earlier today”, she finally said, her eyes focussed solely on him. When she saw the slight frown that marred his face, she quickly added, “When you said that’s it, Rogers. What did you mean by that? What’s it?”

Steve clenched his jaw, his head coming up to look at her. “What do you think it meant, Charlotte?”

She blinked, her lips turning down slightly as she searched her mind. “Something…”, she began slowly, “to do with the twins. With how…”, she paused for a moment, her fingers fiddling with her bottom lip. “How fast it seems they are developing.” 

And then it hit her. Like a ton of bricks. Her eyes flew up to Steve’s face, his own eyes narrowed as they waited for her to finally catch on. “Magically”, she whispered, her fingers peaked in front of her mouth, eyes wide. “You said magically, right before you figured it out.” She let out a strangled little cry. “The twins”, she said softly, “My boys. Magic. It’s because of Loki’s magic and with what he is, isn’t it?”

Steve chewed on the inside of his cheek as his fingers gripped the countertop harder, his knuckles as white as the marble they clutched. He let out another sigh, his blue eyes sad for a moment. “Our boys”, he said at last. 

Charlie looked up at him like he had grown a third eye. “Excuse me”, she said, shaking her head. 

He cocked his head to the side, looking away from her for a moment, his jaw constantly twitching. “You said, my boys”, he said, deathly quiet. “They’re not just your boys, anymore, Charlotte. They’re our boys.”

The emphasis that he put on the word  _ our  _ sent chills down her spine, and ignited a fire of pure anger in her. Before she even was aware of what she was doing, she felt the palm of her hand connect solidly with the man’s clean-shaven cheek. 

“They will never be yours”, she spat, her heart beginning to race as the pupils of his eyes took over his normal blue, making them look almost sinisterly black. 

His arms shot up from the counter and gripped her upper arms roughly. “God damn you”, he swore at her, his face a vicious mask of righteous displeasure. “Why can’t you see that I am trying to help you here? That I am offering to give those two boys a home, a father? Do you really hate me that much, Charlotte, that you would deny your own children this?”

Charlie felt her chest heaving heavily. She knew he was gaslighting her, but that deep seat of her mind, the one that was always so eager to give, so eager to please, so eager to understand screamed at her that he had a point. Did she hate Steve so much that she was willing to take away from her children what very well might be their only chance at having a father? 

She sagged against the counter. “I’m sorry”, she whispered, tears already clouding her thick lashes. He reached out to her, pulling her into his solid chest. He felt all wrong. Too big, too thick. He held none of the graceful litheness that Loki did. None of the sinewy hardness that her body fit so perfectly against. With Steve, she just felt… crushed beneath him. 

The thoughts tore at her mind. It was fracturing her very soul. This constant back and forth between the determination to leave this place, and the resignation at giving Steve what he wanted. 

Steve shushed her quietly, pushing her curls off her forehead as he tipped her face upwards. “Charlotte, I am giving you a chance to raise these boys without any wants. I’m not asking you to love me, my heart, well it belonged to only one woman, and that woman is long gone now. But, I can provide for you, Charlotte. I can provide for the twins. I can protect them. No one need ever know that those two aren’t mine.”

Charlie looked into his eyes, and in that moment his blue ones changed to mocking emerald ones before shifting to bright red ones. She let out a loud gasp, pulling away from Steve harshly. At that very second, she knew. Without a shadow of a doubt, she knew. Steven Grant Rogers would give her the world on a string just for the chance at her children. But only if those children were the perfect image of Americana. And Charlie just knew that Loki’s children would be anything but that. 

She shook her head, her delicate brows drawing down heavily. “You’re right, Steve”, she said, her voice shaky but growing stronger with each word spoken. “I did say it wrong. Not my children”, her eyes locked with his. “But not yours either”, she breathed, “Loki’s. The god of mischief, Heir to Asgard and King of Jotunheim. Royalty runs through the veins of these children, royalty and the blood of a god. You, oh Captain Rogers, albeit an Avenger and America’s so-called son, will never be either. And you will never be the father to my children, because they will never fit into the pathetic cookie-cutter, apple-pie life you have fantasized in your head.” 

As the last words left her mouth, she saw his face go deathly pale and his eyes grow wild. She barely saw his hand before the back of his knuckles struck her cheekbone, sending her crumbling to the floor in a heap. He stood over her, his legs on either side as he glowered down at her. “You think you can do this all on your own”, he seethed. “You think you can just live in this kind of luxury at the Tower without someone pulling a few strings for you?”

He squatted down, his face inches from hers. “You should be kissing the very ground I walk upon for making sure you were taken care of. For making sure that Tony didn’t just send you in to that doctor to have those two inside of you taken care of”, he gestured at her stomach with a thick finger. 

When he saw the shock and horror on his face, he let out a dark laugh. “Oh yes, Charlotte. That’s what he wanted to do, you know. Him and Bruce both said the pregnancy should be terminated. Even Nat, who was against it at first, wouldn’t stand in their way. The only one that would was me.” He reached out to softly caress her cheek, where already a dark bruise was beginning to bloom from his hand. 

“I protected you, Charlotte. I protected those boys. You didn’t protect them. Your so-called god and King Loki didn’t protect them. No, I did.” He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her check, his full lips pressing against the pain of the bruise, causing her to wince. “I can take it all away, if you want. Pull you from under the protection of my shield, and watch them take you away. You wouldn’t be able to even see them coming. And before you knew it, you’d be waking up back in one of those white, padded rooms here in the Tower. Alone and without those babies inside of you. And this time, Charlotte, there would be no getting out. They wouldn’t release you back into the world this time.” 

Charlie let out a sob.”Please”, she whimpered, “Please, no. Don’t.” How stupid was she. How utterly stupid to think she stood a chance against any of them. That perhaps, somewhere out there in that Tower, she held an ally in the Black Widow or Banner. How they would stop at nothing, not if they truly wanted it. Man’s righteous Avengers, indeed. At least with Loki, she knew what he was. He wore it openly. Made no pretensions. Yet, for all his outward bravado was a good heart deep down. With those in the Tower, it was the opposite. Deep down was only selfishness and darkness. 

Steve kissed her again on her cheek, this time softer. “Come on now. Let’s get you up”, he murmured against her hair as he stood and pulled her along with him. “Today has been a trying day. Let’s get you and the boys to bed, hm?” 

She let him lead her, like a small child. He pulled her into the room, turning her around as he pulled her gray dress from her body and unclasped her bra. He rummaged in one of her drawers of her dresser before pulling out a soft, pink gown and slipping it over her head. He led her to the bed, dropping her hand to pull back the covers before pulling on it once more as he helped her between the sheets. 

Everything felt like a dream. Her body was numb. Her mind was numb. She could barely register as he stripped off his own clothes down to his boxers and slid into bed behind her, cradling her in his arms as he rubbed her stomach gently. 

He kissed her temple. “You are beautiful, Charlotte, and I cannot wait to see you grow and swell with these two. I promise to protect all three of you, but you have to be a good girl from now on out. Do you understand me?”

She nodded mutely, his words barely registering.He sighed. “Good girl, Charlotte. That’s a very good girl.” He nuzzled his chin into her shoulder. “Have you given any thought to names”, he murmured. Again, she shook her head mutely. “What about Charles and Steven”, he said, “Or maybe Thomas and William…”

Captain America promised to protect her, to protect her boys. But how could he? He claimed to be her only hope, her only ally. But he would turn on her. He would turn on her boys as soon as the truth came out. 

He trailed on about names. Names fit for blonde-haired, blue-eyed all American boys. Not names for alien princes. Not names for the children of Loki. Not names for Frost Giants. 


	16. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll.... it just keeps coming, and I am going to keep on writing as long as it keeps on coming :D  
Thanks to Spring Break here, I have a moment from being teacher to my kiddos, and I am loving being able to sit down and get this story out. It's an insane soap opera of a ride, but I am loving it, and I hope you guys are too! Hopefully, I will be able to get the next chapter out tomorrow to you all, and ya'll... I am so excited about it. It is already hitting on sooo many fangirl/guy notes right now. As always, thanks to you all for being here, for keeping on with me. For those just finding this fic, thank you for taking your time to read the drabble I write, I hope you enjoy it. Much love and well wishes for health and safety to you all during these crazy times!! xoxo ~LLL~

~~~~~~~

Charlie awoke with the profound sense of something hard and solid at her back, as well as something equally as hard and solid at her backside. As the dregs of sleep cleared from her foggy mind, realization hit suddenly. That solid wall was Steve’s chest pressed firmly against her. And that hard something poking just below… 

Charlie let out a small yelp and pulled away. Except she couldn’t. The super-soldier’s thick arms were wrapped possessively around her middle, still cradling her stomach. Her breathing grew ragged as her fear began to take hold of her. She tried craning her neck to look back at the man, but with the position she was in, it was impossible. 

Then a loud snore echoed around the room, causing her to close her eyes in relief. He was still asleep. Thank the gods, he was still asleep. 

She looked down at his splayed hands, gently picking up one and hefting the bulky arm off of her. Charlie slid out from his other arm stealthily. Taking caution to be as quiet and still as possible. 

When she had finally escaped the bed, she turned around on baited breath, watching to see if he woke. He stirred slightly, his hands groping invisibly for her form as a slight frown marred his face. Charlie reached forward quickly, taking one of the plump pillows from the bed and sliding it between his searching hands into his waiting arms. 

Again, she stood back, waiting and watching. Steve’s arms curled around the pillow, as a small sigh escaped his lips in contentment. His breathing evened back out. He was asleep still. 

Charlie breathed her own small sigh, this one of relief instead of contentment. She plucked her way softly towards the doors to the bedroom, pulling them open just enough for her to slip out, before closing them just as silently on the sleeping bulk of the man in the bed. 

She walked over the bare floors, stopping once to press a button on the wall to raise the darkening shades on the floor to ceiling windows. Brilliant sunshine streamed in through the room, splaying its golden tendrils around the modern space with warm light. 

As she made her way to the kitchen, her eyes narrowed on an envelope sitting just inside the front door. What, she thought to herself. How did that get here? Did someone stop to deliver it? The thoughts ran through her head as she veered from her path to the kitchen into the foyer instead. 

Stooping down, her fingers brushed against the package. She stopped for a moment, cocking an ear to listen for Steve’s snores. Surely enough, she could just make them out if she was quiet enough. Her hand closed on the envelope, a nondescript manilla, thick, with no writing whatsoever on it. She turned the package round and round in her hand. Should she? Dare she… open it?

With a deep breath, she dared. Her fingers trembled slightly as she lifted the clasp on the back and pulled up the flap. Once again, she stopped for a moment, listening for Steve. When she was satisfied that he was still sleeping, she walked with the envelope into the nearby office, closing the sliding door just barely, a few inches remaining open for her to listen for Steve. 

Charlie sat down in the black leather chair behind the glass desk softly, her fingers still trembling as she tipped the envelope onto the surface, its contents pouring out. 

It was a contract of some sort. As she looked closer, she realized it was real estate papers for a property in Brooklyn to one Steven G. Rogers. She shook the envelope and the metallic clank of keys spilled out, clattering on the glass top loudly. 

She felt her heart beating as wildly as if she had been running a marathon. What was all this? Suddenly, the frosted glass door slid open smoothly, as Steve stood there looking down at her, arms crossed over his massive chest. 

“Whatcha’ got there, doll”, he asked sternly, his blue eyes locking with hers. 

Charlie backed herself away from the desk slowly, hands raised in deference. “What is all this, Steve”, she breathed, gesturing at the desk. 

The man chewed at the inside of his cheek before giving her a cold smile. “It was meant to be a surprise. But… well, now you’ve gone and ruined it.” He walked across the small space, snatching up the papers and keys in one hand. “I thought you told me last night you understood, Charlotte”, he said quietly, his eyes focused on the papers in his hand, not looking at her. 

She made to get up, but Steve was faster, his meaty hand grabbing her shoulder and pushing her back down hard into the leather. His head turned then, his pupils blown as he stared at her. “Why can’t you just be good, hm?” His free hand came up as he gently smoothed a single finger over the dark bruise on her cheek. 

He chuckled darkly. “How in the world did stubborn Charlotte Harper ever keep her head around Loki? How did that smart mouth of yours and your constant meddling not have you beaten black and blue?” 

His finger trailed down to her lips. “Was it your beauty alone that kept him from hurting you?” He hummed softly to himself, a dark smile on his lips. “Or maybe it was something more, hm? Maybe you have other talents that I have yet to see?”

Charlie turned her head sharply away from his wandering finger. “You’ll never know”, she spat out. 

Steve chuckled again. “Oh? Is that so?” His hand found her chin, pulling her hard around to face him. “You’ll let yourself play the whore for that _ thing _, but think you’re better than playing as much for me? For your savior in this situation of yours?”

She twisted under his grip, her eyes bright flames of purple fury. “I thought you said your heart belonged to another”, she muttered at him. 

He laughed once more, this time a deep laugh from his gut. “Oh, you naive little girl”, Steve cried out between laughs. “Love has nothing to do with this. Did you think it was love when Loki took you?” His eyes mocked her as much as his voice did. He bent down low over her, his body blocking her in the chair. “I can take whatever I want from you, Charlotte. Whatever I want, whenever I want, and there isn’t a single thing you could ever do about it. Do you understand me this time?”

Charlie felt her eyes welling with those blasted tears of hers. She hated herself for always being so weak, for the tears that always threatened to spill. His body still loomed over her. She knew she was in a bad position. Her stomach rolled. It was from hunger, but Steve didn’t need to know that.

With a hard pat to his arm with one hand, she let her other fly to her mouth, covering it as she pretended to let waves of nausea hit her. “Please, Steve”, she said from behind her fingers. “I think… I think I’m going to be sick.”

The super soldier backed away from her then, letting her run past him and into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut, clicking the lock into place as she fell to the floor, her heart hammering away in her chest. She could hear his footsteps on the floor outside. She knew he was waiting,... listening. 

With barely a second thought, Charlie forced two fingers down her throat. The contents of last night’s meal made their way past her mouth and into the toilet as she retched. She could hear Steve’s heavy sigh on the other side of the door. She knew he was waiting still. She couldn’t hide in here forever. 

“Charlotte”, he called out, his voice soft. “I’m sorry, Charlotte. I forgot myself for a moment there. I just---”, he paused, sighing again, “I just wanted the house to be a surprise is all. I’ll go fix us some breakfast okay? Get yourself cleaned up and dressed, and join me.”

She heard the floor creak as he moved away from the door. “I’ll be waiting, Charlotte”, he called out. 

Charlie flushed the toilet, closing the lid and laying her head down on it. “Oh Loki”, she whispered. “What I would give to have you back instead of that golden-boy pretender in there.” She felt the warm tears flowing down her face. “Why can’t you just take us back, Loki”, she sobbed softly. “Your children will not survive this… I will not survive this.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki stared at the other god for a moment. “Did you not hear me”, Thor said, clasping his brother on the shoulder. “Go claim your Midgardian, Loki.”

The dark god grimaced and rolled his eyes. “It is not so simple, Brother”, he said with annoyance. He turned away from Thor, looking out the windows at Asgard below. “The last time I was on Midgard, I waged war against the realm. I unleashed the Chitauri on innocent people, Thor. I cannot just simply show back up, not after all that. No… there is… there is no going back.” He looked from the bustle below, his eyes sad and hollow. 

Thor scoffed, “Is this my brother, the great trickster and silver-tongue Loki himself, giving up? Heimdall”, the blond god called over his shoulder at the statue-still armored man, “Heimdall! You must make a note of this day! For Loki of Asgard is letting himself get bested! And by what, convention? Propriety? Rules?” Thor bellowed out a laugh. “Midgardian rules at that! For pity’s sake, Loki, you are truly the cleverest god I know. Think!” 

Loki screamed out in rage. “What do you think I have been doing? Since Heimdall entered these chambers and told me the news. Even I am not so foolish enough to tread on the ground of your Avengers again.”

Thor tapped the side of his head with a lone finger. “Ah, yes you are not so foolish as to do that. Loki is not so foolish. But”, Thor stopped for a moment, his face a wide grin, “what if they don’t realize it's you, Brother.” His blonde eyebrow cocked in mischief as he said this, watching as realization played over his brother’s dark countenance. 

“Do you”, Loki paused, his brow drawing down heavily, “Do you really think it could work, Brother?”

Thor shrugged and turned his head to the side in contemplation, “What do you have to lose?” 

Loki smiled for the first time in days. He could do this. Yes, he would do this. He felt for her, things he had never felt before. And now…, now that he knew that she carried his children, the thought both terrified him and thrilled him. He would see his little Midgardian. If nothing else, to give her the choice, as Thor had said. 

“Heimdall”, he said. “Where is she? Do you know? What do your eyes see, Watchman?”

The gold-eyed man quirked his lips in a smile, turning from the window. “Oh, I know where she is indeed, my Prince”, he said, causing Loki’s wicked smile to broaden. “But, you are not going to like it”, the man finished with a chuckle. “For this, even you, oh great Trickster, will need a plan.”

  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve had kept to himself for the rest of the week. The house in Brooklyn tabled for the moment. Always polite, ever the gentleman. His mask firmly in place. But Charlie knew better. She trusted the man about as far as she could throw him. And given his enormous size, that wasn’t saying much. 

Her small bump had doubled in size. And while not overly large yet, she was very visibly pregnant. At the rate the twins were growing, around 8 weeks within just a 2 week span, she guessed their birth to be in about... a month and a half. And that was taking into account that alien babies went 40 weeks. Charlie truly had no idea. All of this was unknown to her, and to the doctor a few floors down. 

It was Saturday. Steve was off at the gym. He had been staying there for hours on end, doing his best to avoid her. His best to convince himself that he really was a good guy. Charlie rolled her eyes at the thought as she lounged on the couch eating ice cream and watching a cheesy Sci-Fi movie from the 1950s. “Good guy, my ass”, she muttered to herself. 

The front door opened suddenly behind her, the alarm beeping twice, before the door closed. Charlie looked over her shoulder at Steve as he walked in, several bags and a large garment box in his hands. “What’s all that”, she said around the spoon in her mouth, popping it out and waving towards the stuff he carried. Steve smiled at her. “It’s a surprise”, he said. 

Charlie grimaced, remembering his last ‘surprise’. She wasn’t so sure that she liked the sound of another. Knowing her luck, Steve was probably carrying a wedding dress for her. The delusional old fuck, she thought. She bit down her smart comments, choosing instead to set her empty ice cream carton on the coffee table as she curled her feet under her on the couch. 

“Oh”, she said with feigned interest. “And what kind of surprise is it this time?”

Steve chuckled. “Well, now Charlotte. If I told you, then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” 

She chewed at the inside of her cheek. “Please, Steve”, she said coyly, sitting up on her knees on the couch and leaning over the back of it, pouting her bottom lip out in mock sadness. 

He laughed once more, shaking his head and walking towards her bedroom. “Why don’t you come in here and see for yourself then”, he called to her. 

Charlie rolled her eyes in annoyance as she shot off her seat and padded to the room, her toes digging into the carpet at the edge of the doorway. She gasped as she looked at the beautiful royal blue gown Steve lifted from the box and tissue paper, laying it down carefully on the bed. 

He smirked at her reaction. “Steve”, she murmured, walking into the room and trailing the gown with her fingertips, the satin cool against her hand. Her violet eyes shot up to his face, “What is all this?” 

“We’re going out tonight, Doll”, he said, his smile still firmly affixed on his fair features. 

Charlie blinked at him in confusion. “Out”, she asked. Steve nodded his head once in, before his face screwed up. “Well, not… out _ out _. But we are going to a party being hosted in the Tower for the Avengers”, he clarified, noting her slight deflation at not being able to leave the building. 

“There’s other things in the rest of the bags here for you”, he said as he walked over to her. He touched the small of her back with one hand as his other reached out to caress her belly. “I can’t wait to show you off”, he whispered against her curls, before pressing a kiss to her temple. “All three of you.”

She felt her body go rigid just a bit. If Steve noticed, he made no remark of it. “How about you go ahead and take a nice, hot bath. The makeup artist and hairstylist will be here in about an hour”, he simpered down at her. 

Charlie nodded mutely, her fingers still softly tracing the silky fabric of the dress. “Tonight, Charlotte, you’ll see what it means to have Captain America in your corner and on your arm.” Steve tilted her head upwards and placed a solid kiss on her lips, his tongue probing for entrance which she didn’t give. She heard the hum that exited his body as he sighed against her lips. “You’ll have to give into me eventually, Charlotte. I’m a patient man. Make no mistake about it. But every man has his limit. Don’t push me to mine.” 

With a final peck to her cheek, he spun her around and pushed her towards the bathroom door. “Go on now, we don’t want to be late for our first outing as a couple, do we?”


	17. Contigo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter is a little longer than usual, but I hope you guys enjoy it. I've started posting little images/gifs at the beginning of my chapters. Little things from inspiration boards I have on Pinterest. I will also post the link to SoundCloud for the Inspo song for the dance in this chapter. I hope this isn't distracting or annoying to any of you all.  
I had so much fun writing this chapter. It was draining but in a fabulous way. I really am hoping you guys like it. I know this Loki has changed a bit from the beginning of the story. He's a better man now. He still is dark, but he sees Charlie now as his light. And he will do anything to protect that. Loyal and Protective Loki is as fun and enchanting to write as dark and twisted Loki. This Loki grows, just like the Loki of the MCU. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Ladies and Lads, I proudly present to you.... Chapter 17. As always much love and good vibes. xoxo ~LLL~

Charlie had never felt more polished in her life. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had been this dressed up. Senior Prom years ago? Probably. But even then, she had definitely not been as glamorous, as pampered as she had been these last few hours. 

She stood there gazing at herself in the mirror in her bedroom. The royal blue satin clung to her body like a second skin, her bump showing more prominently than ever. Her dark curls had been styled upon her head loosely, soft tendrils framing her face. And her violet-blue eyes popped under the dark eyeshadow and fake lashes. She reached a hand up to the delicate jewels that sat upon her neck. Steve had left nothing out. Even the sparkly blue heels that graced her feet matched the dress to perfection. 

A light tap sounded on the door before it swung open, revealing the super soldier in question in a starched white shirt, black vest and solid black tie. “You ready in he--”, he said as the door opened. Steve stopped mid-sentence, his blue eyes raking up and down her body. “Charlotte”, he breathed as he walked forward to take her hand and spin her lightly around. “You look incredible.” 

As she completed her rotation for him, he swept down and placed a hard kiss on her lips. Brief and not invading like the first he had sprung on her. But a definite reminder to her of who was in control. He pulled back, smiling down at her. “You ready to go knock ‘em dead”, he asked playfully. 

Charlie forced a light smile on her lips. She was anything but ready for tonight. She felt like her stomach was a playground for butterflies at that moment. Suddenly, she felt a quick flip in her belly. Followed by another one, and then a third. She looked up with wide eyes at Steve. “Charlotte”, he questioned, his face frowning, “What is it?” 

She thought about telling him for a minute. But then decided against it quickly. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of feeling the twins move. That was something special, something that should be just between her and Loki. 

She shook her head, smiling once again. “Nothing, Steve. Just nerves”, she said sweetly. Her little lie went unnoticed by the man, as he hummed down at her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be by your side the whole night”, he answered with a peck on her cheek. Charlie groaned inwardly, that was exactly what she feared. A whole night with no reprieve from Captain America, it was like a bad dream. Was she ever going to wake up from this nightmare?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The elevator dinged open into a short hallway that led to a balcony overlooking the vast space that was littered with hundreds of guests. Charlie felt her stomach clench. She had never expected this many people. Instinctively she clutched at Steve’s bulging arm with tight fingers. He looked down at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Are you okay”, he whispered. 

Her big eyes looked up, the fear and nerves clear on her features. “I don’t know if I can do this, Steve.” He pursed his lips silently, withdrawing his arm from her grasp and placing his hand at the small of her back. He pressed a kiss on her temple. “I am right here with you. There is nothing to be afraid of, Charlotte. Now, put a smile on that pretty little face of yours. We can’t have you looking like the terrified doe in headlights on our first public sighting, can we?”

Charlie felt her chest heaving in embarrassment. How she despised this bastard. Everything was for show. Nothing was real with him. He wasn’t even real. Everything about him had been created in a lab. The man’s ego was bigger than his body. He lived for the praise and the worship and the adoration of the world. 

She felt his hand snake from the small of her back to her side, pinching it slightly. Charlie ground her teeth down in frustration, before slapping a smile on. Her eyes didn’t match the sunniness of her grin. They were dark, violet storms. She pulled away from him, surprising the man. She looked back at him before she moved to descend the glass and steel steps into the waiting party below. “Come now, darling”, she purred. “Best keep up.” 

His mask broke for a moment as his eyes went dark. He made to move after her but the ding of the elevator behind him sounded. “Cap”, a voice called out. Charlie watched as Tony Stark and his strawberry-blonde girlfriend walked off the lift and greeted the super soldier. Steve beamed and preened, like a damn peacock, Charlie thought to herself. She rolled her eyes and sighed, choosing to walk down the stairs and rather than be stuck between that asshole Tony Stark and his buddy Steve Rogers. 

When she reached the bottom, she saw the Black Widow at the bar flirting with Dr. Banner. The two oblivious to the world around them. Her eyes narrowed at them. She would never forget what Steve had told her. They had wanted to abort the twins. To “take care” of them, he had said specifically. Yeah, take care of them indeed. 

She walked past them purposefully, her head held high as she pierced them with her cold gaze. The two stopped their banter for a moment. Bruce’s eyes widening at the sight of her, Nat’s holding that same emotion Charlie couldn’t quite place. Was it jealousy? 

“Ms. Harper”, Dr. Banner spoke up, his soft voice barely heard over the din of the crowd. Charlie stopped in her tracks, her eyes raking over the two with barely veiled disgust. “Et tu Brute”, she replied to the man, but her gaze was fixed solidly on the redhead beside him. 

Bruce started a bit. “Wha--what”, he stuttered. Natasha said nothing, her cool green eyes piercing, like a cat’s. “What are you talking about, Charlie”, Bruce finally managed to get out. Charlie cut her eyes between the two of them, her anger palpable as she reached down to gently touch her stomach. “I know what the two of you wanted to do”, she hissed. Banner continued feigning ignorance, the Black Widow still silent. “And here I thought I might actually have had an ally in at least one of you. Turns out, every single one of you Avengers is nothing more than a murderer.” 

Natasha finally spoke up. “We all have red in our ledger, Ms. Harper. But those are some pretty strong words you’re throwing around there. How can you be so sure?”

Charlie gritted her teeth. “Steve may be a lot of things, but a liar is not one of them.” She leaned in closer to the two Avengers, “Stay the fuck away from me and my children”, she spat at them. The shock on Bruce’s face was almost comical as she leaned back, squared her shoulders and walked away. Almost... if he hadn’t been on team abort from the very beginning, she thought vehemently. 

As she wove her way through the crowd, she suddenly had the strange feeling of eyes watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She glanced around, noting Steve just making his way towards the bar with Tony and Pepper. Every now and then, he’d look up and search for her. Satisfied when he saw her, he went back to his conversation. Charlie mentally shook herself. She was being ridiculous. No one here hardly knew her. And those that did were all crowded around together at the massive bar. Likely having a dick-measuring contest, she snorted. 

Charlie grabbed a flute of sparkling water and some sort of seafood hors d’oeuvre from a nearby waiter. The bubbly drink was refreshing as it tickled her tongue. She meandered towards the windows, staring out at the sparkling city below. The feeling of eyes on her struck again, making her frown in response. She looked quickly to her left and right before her eyes landed on a tall man in a simple, dark suit leaning casually against a railing, thumb idly stroking his lip as he listened intently to a group of starry-eyed women. 

As she stared at him, his eyes suddenly came up to meet hers across the room. A strange sense of recognition flooded her as the man smirked. At the same time, the twins decided to perform somersaults in her belly, causing her to look down in surprise. “What has gotten into you two tonight”, she murmured, rubbing her bump with a smile. She felt a kick in response, causing her to giggle, “Mischievous little devils”.

As she trailed her fingers along her belly, she looked back up towards the unknown man, only to find him no longer there. The starry-eyed women standing there alone, looking forlorn. Apparently, he was a charmer. “Everyone loves a pretty face, huh”, she said to her bump. 

“A pretty face is nice, but substance behind the face is better”, a deep voice said beside her, causing Charlie to jump in surprise and turn to come face to face with the strange man in question. He smiled easily at her, tiny lines crinkling around his blue-green eyes. His face was tan, a slight shadow of facial hair around his mouth and chin. And his hair was a golden amber color, cut close at the sides but slightly longer on top and combed through with styling product. He was the epitome of cool, casual class. 

His thin lips curled into a warm smile, his eyes soft and friendly. Again, the strange sense of having known this man struck Charlie. Why did he seem so familiar? She couldn’t place her finger on it. And the way in which he looked at her, it caused her breathing to hitch. She was beginning to understand the reason behind the forlorn looks on the group of women he had left behind. It was as if he were the sun, and everyone else in the room merely the planets in orbit around him. 

Her brow curled down low in a scowl. She had no idea who this man was ,and yet he stood here in all confidence, speaking to her and looking at her in a way that would make even ice in the Arctic melt.  
  


The string quartet began playing a new song, a modern hip-hop tune that Charlie recognized immediately. Their strings plucking the latin beat out into a sultry instrumental. The man held out a hand, his long fingers making her pause as they reminded her of another’s. “Dance with me”, he said, his eyes still warm and smiling. He leaned towards her slightly, “Dance with me and pretend the world doesn’t exist. All I can see is you anyway”, he pleaded softly. 

Charlie felt her chest rising and falling heavily. Her eyes looked over towards the bar, she saw Steve scowling at her and the stranger. His anger was clear, even from across the crowded room. She looked back into those sea-colored eyes of the man before her, his lips quirked into a challenging smirk. So similar to… She stopped the thought before it finished. Pretend the world didn’t exist, he said. Closing her eyes for a moment, she let out a deep breath, before opening her purple orbs and placing her hand firmly into the man’s. Her brow cocked devilishly as she nodded her head at him to lead the way to the dance floor. 

The swell of the music was sensual. But not nearly so much as the man that grasped her intimately in his arms. His body was long and lean, his firm muscles hard and sinewy just underneath. And her little figure fit perfectly into the hard contours of the man like a puzzle locking into place. She was scared her large bump would be off putting, that it would hinder her movements as she was spun around the floor. But the man paid it no attention. His focus solely on her, his eyes drinking her in as his hands wandered over her body with abandon. The intensity of the look he locked on her took her breath away. The last time she had seen a look like that had been from… Loki.

She felt his fingers trail down her back, grazing over her ass lightly, before coming around to ghost over her hip, pressing down as he forced her body to sway with his to the music. She looked up into his eyes, and for a brief moment she swore she saw them shift from the soft, watery blue-green of the carribean sea to hard, emerald stones. Charlie gasped, her eyes widening. “Is… is it”, she whispered. 

“Shhh, little one”, the man breathed against the shell of her ear as he leaned into her, his hand leaving her hip to touch her stomach in wonder for but a moment. Charlie’s heart hammered in her chest. It was him. She knew it was him. His appearance may be different. But she knew it was Loki. 

The music soared as the final notes of the song sounded. The couples around them began slowing and stopping, but the two of them just continued swaying in one another’s embrace. A deep voice cleared its throat behind them, causing Charlie to jump in surprise. She saw the stormy eyes of Steve just over the strange Loki’s shoulder. She made to move away, but his hand stayed firmly on her lower back, his eyes holding her’s in a silent promise. 

The music began to play a softer tune. One lacking the passion and fire of the last one. “I believe that’s my fiance you’re holding so tight there, pal”, Steve said with a light chuckle, although his tone was anything but friendly. 

The man rolled his eyes heavenward, smirking as he turned around to look at the super soldier. “Fiance, you say”, he said smugly. He reached out a hand. “Well, I guess congratulations are in order then. Marriage, and children”. His voice rose a bit at the last word, his smile wicked. 

Steve narrowed his eyes as he grasped the man’s hand in a challenging handshake. “Thank you”, he said gruffly, reaching out to grasp Charlie’s arm and drag her over to his side. 

The man chuckled darkly. “What a beautiful bride-to-be you have on your hand’s there. Perhaps you should keep a better eye on her. You wouldn’t want someone to steal her away, now would you?” 

Steve’s jaw clenched as he sneered at the man. “She knows what’s good for her”, he replied with self-satisfaction. 

The strange Loki all but growled in response, his fists balling up by his sides, before he looked around the room as if suddenly remembering himself. He smirked and threw his hands up. “I have all the confidence in the world that she does indeed”. He tipped his head at Charlie once, his eyes gleaming. “Congratulations to both you and the _ father _.” His words held careful inflection as he backed away from the couple and sauntered towards stairs. 

Steve watched the man’s retreating figure, his face barely contained rage. “Who was that”, he said between clenched teeth, his eyes still on the man. Charlie shook her head, “I don’t know, Steve. Just a man. He asked me to dance. That was all”. 

He rounded on her. His blue eyes blazing in disgust. “Just some man”, his voice was so self-righteous, so superior. “You are here with me, and at the first chance of some man offering you a dance, you act the slut for him?” Steve looked around the room, before lowering his voice as he pulled her in. To everyone watching, it would look like a loving dance between the couple. But Charlie knew better. His fingers dug into her waist punishingly. “How dare you embarrass me. Tonight of all nights, Charlotte.”

His breath was hot on her face as he whispered savagely. The song continued as his hands punished her, invisible to anyone who looked, but she knew there would be bruises from his touch. He dipped her low, as the song came to an end. Tears had already begun to slide down her cheeks. 

“Go clean yourself up, Charlotte”, he said. “I’ve got a few more people to speak to and then we will say goodnight. If you’re so eager to play a whore tonight, Doll, then I’ll let you have your chance here soon enough.” His words hung heavily in the air around them, Charlie’s pulse racing. He pulled away from her, smiling and throwing his hand up in acknowledgement at some one just beyond her shoulder. 

She stood by herself on the dance floor for a moment, blinking rapidly to try and stem the tears that still fell. As she tried to maneuver her way past all the people towards the stairs her legs felt like jelly. She reached a trembling hand to grasp the cool metal railing as she climbed the stairs, her heart heavy. She was sure the man was Loki. Every fiber in her body screamed at her that it was him. Yet, he just… walked away from her. Left her there, all alone with Steve and his bruising fingers. 

Charlie walked along the empty balcony, eyes searching for the tall, tanned man. She sighed when she couldn’t spot him. Where had he gone? She shook her head. Maybe… maybe she had dreamed it. Maybe she missed Loki so much, wanted him so much, that she imagined what she thought she saw. Those fingers, that knowing smirk, the shift of his eyes… he called her “little one”... was it all just projection on her part? 

She reached down and slid the glittery heels from her feet, bending to pick them up and carry them. Her feet screamed in agony at her. She should have never worn heels tonight. She walked down the short hallway, passing the elevators on her left and heading instead for the door on her right. She pushed the powder-room door open, clicking the lock in place behind her as she shuffled towards the sink. Her fingers closed around the faucet, turning and watching the water pour smoothly out. 

“Hello, my darling”, the voice said smoothly behind her. 

Charlie’s eyes darted up in the mirror, the reflection of the strange man staring back at her. His intensity made her very heart ache. She spun around rushing to him in the same instant that he came at her. His lips collided with hers, pushing into the soft inside of her mouth with his searching tongue. She sighed as the coolness of it met the fiery recesses of her opening. A coolness that only belonged to him. To her Frost Giant. To her king. To her god. 

“Loki”, she sobbed into his mouth, as his hands roamed her body, skimming over her full breasts before coming to her rounded belly. He stopped his kisses, kneeling down in front of her and placing his hands on either side of her stomach, kissing it with a tenderness that it took her breath away. 

“Oh my little Midgardian”, he breathed against her stomach. His arms circled around her, drawing himself closer to her as he clung to her. “Forgive me for ever casting you away.”

Charlie grabbed his hands, pulling him to his feet. She placed two fingers against his lips. “Don’t”, she whispered. “Please, Loki. Just”, she broke down and began sobbing. “Please, just take us from here. I don’t want your children to die at the hands of these cruel men. Please take us back to Asgard. Take your boys, home!” 

Loki’s face contorted in a moment of confusion before he broke out in a wide grin. “Boys”, he said in a stilled breath. 

Charlie nodded, her eyes softening at his reaction. “Yes. Your boys, Loki. Be the father to them that your own never was to you. Take us from here. I cannot abide any more of that awful man, Loki.”

At the mention of the super soldier, Loki’s disguised face hardened. He broke away from her, walking forward to grip the edge of the countertop, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror as she turned around. “Are you really to be married to him”, he asked with a hard sadness.

She didn’t break eye contact with him through the mirror as she moved forward, her arms encircling him from behind. She placed her head against his smooth back, breathing in the scent of him. How had she ever doubted who this man was? The scent of bergamot and cedarwood filled her nostrils as she inhaled deeply. 

“I came here, to the Tower, once I found out I was pregnant. I…”, she paused for a moment, the events of the past few weeks flooding her mind. “I came to them for help.”

His voice sounded like lead. “To kill our children”, he asked. 

Charlie jerked her head up from his back, reaching up to turn him around to face her. “Loki! No! Never!” The tears poured down her face. “I came for help from them to get a message to you. All I wanted was you, Loki.” 

He scowled. “That does not answer the question of how you came to be betrothed to that ape in stars and stripes.” His voice held an edge to it. He was confused, and hurt. Charlie could tell. 

“He lied to me, Loki. He promised to help. And then locked me in this place. Using our children against me as leverage.” 

Loki growled, his fist going down on the dark marble. He reached forward for her, grabbing at her waist to pull her closer. Charlie let out a small cry, wincing as he did so. His amber brows shot down over his tanned face as he looked at her in sheer confusion. 

She held up a hand. “I’m afraid my _ date _ wasn’t so gentle on me after the dance you and I shared.” 

His face blackened into a fiery mask of fury. “I will kill that fucking bafoon”, he snarled. 

A knock at the door broke his hold on her, as both of their eyes traveled to the lock jiggling as the handle was moved. 

“Charlotte”, an annoyed voice called out. Steve’s voice. “Charlotte, are you in there?” 

Loki’s lip curled in anger as he moved towards the door. “I will end him”, he said quietly, his voice hoarse with emotion. 

Charlie put up a hand, pressing firmly against his chest. She shook her head. “That floor below us is crawling with Avengers and all kinds of former S.H.I.E.L.D agents.” 

He regarded her with heated eyes, before turning away and swearing under his breath. She was right. He knew she was right. The only way for him to best all of them would be to reveal himself, and then… well what was the purpose behind assuming this form to begin with. 

Another knock on the door, this time louder and harder. “Goddamnit, Charlotte. So help me, if you don’t open this door now, I will tear it from the hinges.”

Loki’s fists tightened by his side, before he moved back into the shadows of the nearby stall. “Go upstairs”, he whispered to her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there. I will take you home to Asgard with me, little one. But first”, his eyes shot to the door, “I have something to take care of first”. 

He kissed her so fiercely, Charlie was hesitant to leave his embrace. Only at the threatening crack of wood did she finally tear herself away and yank the door open to a fuming Steve. She looked up at him, trying her best to appear innocent. “I had some things to handle”, she murmured softly. At his confused look she added, “Female things… pregnant female things”. 

Steve held up a hand to stop her. “Okay, okay. I got it”, he said. “Let’s go. I believe we have a standing arrangement you need to fulfil.” He slid himself against her backside as he leaned over her to press the button for the lift. She was acutely aware of his hard-on straining against the fabric of his pants and pressing into her satin-clad ass. 

The ride back up to their floor was silent. Steve leaned against the back wall of the elevator, watching her through slitted eyes, his tongue darting out to lick his lips every so often. Charlie prayed to all of the gods, both above and below and any in-between, that Loki would be there when they stepped through those guarded doors upstairs. If he wasn’t… she shuddered at the thought. 

The elevator slid open quietly. The long hallway to the apartment seemed but a mere second to Charlie before she found herself being tugged into the room behind Steve. He threw her across the room from him as he closed the door and pressed his finger against the lock. 

She stood there, the only light in the room filtering in from the night outside. Everything was in shadows, making Steve’s face that more sinister as he stalked towards her. 

His hand shot out to grab at the back of her head, jerking her forward as he kissed her. Charlie bit his lip with all her might, causing the super soldier to cry out. Even when she tasted blood on her lips, she didn’t let go. It was only when his hand collided solidly with her face that her teeth were pried from his injured lip. 

“You will pay for that, Charlotte”, Steve said as he stood straddling her prone figure. His hand touching himself vulgarly through his pants. “Why can’t you just be a good little girl for me, hm? Why, Charlotte, after everything I have done for you? After everything I have done for those damned souls inside of you?” 

A chime echoed around them. “What”, Steve grumbled. 

“Sir”, the A.I. said, “There is a man at the door, adamant to speak to you”. 

Steve swiped at his bloodied lip with the heel of his hand, wiping the red stain on the leg of his black trousers. He looked at Charlotte, who still lay against the floor on her bottom. “Get up”, he whispered to her, his eyes threatening. 

Charlie stood shakily. She fervently prayed that it was Loki on the other side of that door. And that he was coming to take them away once and for all. 

Steve pressed his finger to the keypad, the lock clicking as he pulled the metal open. She couldn’t see past the corner of the wall and Steve’s looming figure to tell who was at the door. “Oh you have got to be kidding me”, Steve cursed. “What in the he--” His words were cut short as the sickening sound of skin meeting skin resounded around the space. 

Steve stumbled backwards, spitting blood out against the white floor. The door slammed shut and a dark figure cloaked in shadows pounced forward, barely giving the soldier time to block the onslaught. A groan escaped from Steve’s throat, the other man punching him in the gut repeatedly. 

“Frid”, Steve tried to say, his words cut off by a fist square to his jaw, bones crunching. The shadowed man brought a fast knee up to Steve’s groin, sending him crying to the floor. As the man stepped forward, Charlie could make out the righteous vengeance that colored the face. Still a stranger’s face, yet not. 

He kicked Steve in the ribs, before bending low over the gasping and bloodied man. “You filthy pig”, Loki seethed. “I should kill you. End your miserable little life, do this world an honest favor for once.” 

Steve squirmed on the floor, his face already a myriad of varying shades from the bruises. “Who--- who are you”, he stammered. 

Loki grinned wickedly, the smile like staring a shark square in the face. “Your worst fucking nightmare. You would do best to remember that, Captain. Now, apologize to the lady.”

Steve’s one good eye, the one not already swollen shut, turned to Charlie who stood nearby with her hand to her throat at the carnage before her. He let out a raspy laugh. “You whore. I should have let them abort those monsters inside of you and had you thrown into a padded cell as soon as you walked in here.” 

A green glow filled the room, as the strange man shifted into the figure of the man she so desperately needed. His black hair hung neatly to his shoulders and his gold armor shone brightly even in the darkness. But it was his eyes, those gleaming, emerald depths that made Charlie and Steve both gasp at the same time. “Yo---you”, he whispered. 

Loki sneered down at him in disgust, twin blades appearing from thin air as their points dug into the skin at Steve’s neck. “I said apologize”, his voice lethal. A quick upturn of the blade brought out a drop of blood and another groan from the super soldier. “Now”, Loki roared at him. 

Steve grimaced. “I will never apologize for trying to help that little slut. I should have known she was loyal to her master.” He spat out the words before chuckling as the room filled with a red light and alarms blared. “You’re too late, you know. Even if you kill me. They’re coming for you. I certainly hope you have another alien army at your disposal. Because if not, you’re dead. Both of you are dead. You two and those fucking abominations she carries.”

Charlie looked up at Loki, her eyes wide with fear. “Loki”, she called to him. He kicked at Steve’s head with the heel of his boot, knocking the man unconscious. He swept past him and pulled her into his arms. His mouth was already on hers before she could even breath, kissing her with all the passion of a man on fire. “Hold tight to me”, he whispered in her ear. “Hold tight, and don’t let go.” 

Her arms snaked around his neck, clinging to him tightly, all her trust and faith in that one man in that moment. The door burst open. Iron Man stood, blasters raised at them. Behind him, she could see several other Avengers. “Not so fast Reindeer Games”, Tony said as his helmet raised to reveal his face. 

Loki looked into her eyes. “Remember, hold tight to me”, he reiterated. “Heimdall”, his voice bellowed around her, as the bright neon light from her first trip flooded the space. All she could see was the light. The light and the black void below their feet. She felt as if she couldn’t breathe. Her fingers were sweaty around Loki’s neck, but she dared not let go. She buried her face into his chest. The bottomless floating feeling caused waves of nausea to hit her. She whimpered against him and she felt his arms tighten around her middle reassuringly. 

“Open your eyes, little Midgardian”, he said to her softly, stroking her hair. “We’re here.” Charlie opened her eyes slowly, the golden beauty of Asgard filling her sight. “Welcome home, my Queen”, Loki whispered. Her eyes flew up to his face as he beamed down at her. 

“Wha---what”, she asked.


	18. Soaring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's here guys. This is not a drill. All the smut. Just pretty much JUST smut with a little storyline thrown in there for good measure. I hope you guys enjoy. Have a great weekend! As always, stay safe and all the love in the world to you guys!! xoxo ~LLL~

Charlie stared at Loki, her mouth gaped open. “What did you say”, she asked. The god just stood there, his dark hair blowing gently in the wind that whipped around the bridge. His smile was lazy, cocky even one might say. But the way his lips pursed tightly against one another and the slight squint about his eyes as he awaited her reaction, told her that he was anything but cocky in that moment. She knew the little cues to look for when he was feeling vulnerable. Just like he was now, standing there with her, all of Asgard laid out before them. 

He reached out and took her hand, his eyes looking intently at the appendage as he traced the fine lines in her palm.”Charlotte”, he began. 

“Charlie”, she said, her voice holding a slight edge to it that made him look up at her questioningly. 

She shook her head and looked out at the vast sea that surrounded them. “He called me that”, she said softly.

Realization hit Loki as he frowned at her. “Oh my little one”, he crooned, pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms securely around her, enveloping her fully in his leather embrace. She breathed in his scent. She would never tire of the smell. So different from the overpowering cologne that Steve insisted upon. 

Loki smelled like a deep wood after a cleansing rain mixed with a touch of magic and that unique masculine scent that was all his. She drew in another deep breath, her lungs filling with him. “I am no queen, Loki”, she whispered against his solid chest. 

She felt him stiffen for a moment. But only a moment. His long fingers reached down to tip her face up to him. “You carry my children, the heirs to the throne. My darling, if that doesn’t qualify you to be queen, then I have no idea what does.”

Charlie reached up to the back of his neck, wrapping her fingers in the soft hair and pulling him down to her. She pressed her lips to his, gently exploring his mouth as he readily opened it for her. She swirled the tip of her tongue against his before drawing it in and sucking it softly. Loki let out a groan as he brought his hands down from her waist to cup her ass through the blue satin she still wore. 

He tore his lips from hers and kissed at the smooth column of her neck, stopping with a curse as he met the heavy jewels that hung there. He fumbled with the clasp for a moment, before letting out another expletive and yanking the jewelry, watching it crumble beneath his grasp like it was made of paper instead of precious stones. 

Charlie gasped as his mouth touched her throat, his tongue darting out to lap at her skin like a cat licking cream. His breath fanned coolly on her, making her giggle softly at his nibbles. Loki growled, still exploring her neck with his mouth. She just giggled harder, her breath raspy. “That tickles”, she said between laughs. 

She felt him smile against her skin, his nips becoming playful as he slid back up to her mouth. Placing a hand against her cheek and one at the back of her neck, he looked her in the eyes with such passion that Charlie felt as if all the air had left her body. As if her bones had turned to dust, and she was but merely putty beneath his hands. “My darling”, he said between kisses, “My little Midgardian. My Charlie. I lo--”. 

His words were cut short by the thundering sounds of horses and the rowdy call of Thor. “Brother!” 

Loki closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers as he let out a sigh. He opened those glittering emeralds of his, his lip curling into a smirk. “Another time”, he whispered against her lips, placing a small peck at the corner of her mouth before pulling away to greet his brother. 

“There you are”, he groused. “Took you long enough.” He reached forward for the reins of the large black stallion tethered to the golden roan that Thor sat upon. 

Thor barked out a short laugh. “I’ll let that slide, since I see you return the victorious hero.” His seafoam blue eyes glanced at Charlie, his smile faltering a bit. “She is very much with child isn’t she”, he whispered down to his brother. 

Loki glanced over his shoulder at the brunette woman who stood patiently waiting, her hands lovingly cradling his children she carried within her belly. “Isn’t it a most wondrous thing of beauty”, he murmured. 

“Eh”, Thor asked, “What was that?”

The dark god turned back to his horse, glancing up from under his brow at his clueless brother. “Nothing”, was all he said in reply. 

He finished with his horse, mounting the beast in a fluid motion and heading towards his waiting little Midgardian. He reached a hand down to her. 

Charlie backed away slightly, her eyes looking at Loki’s extended hand then up to the god himself before coming back down to rest on the hand. When she saw the unfazed look that passed on his face, her eyes went wide. “No, Loki”, she whimpered. “No, no. I can’t ride that thing. I couldn’t even manage to get up on him for goodness sake. Especially not in this stupid dress.” 

Loki chuckled darkly, a flash of green light coloring the woman as the blue satin disappeared. In its place was the sheeriest lace gown Charlie had ever seen. “Loki”, she screamed, her hands moving to cover herself.

He laughed once more, the green light surrounding her again. This time the lace she wore was still bridal white, and sheer but not nearly so see-through as the first. “How is this any better”, she asked with a scowl. 

His eyebrow rose over one eye as he pursed his lips. “Come get on the horse, Charlie”, he spoke slowly, as if talking to a child. 

“Horse”, she said with a roll of her eyes. “That is no horse! That’s… that’s a house with hooves!” Charlie stood locked in place, watching the dinner plate sized hooves in question paw anxiously at the ground.

“I beg your pardon”, Loki said indignantly. “How dare you speak of Svadilfari in such a manner?” His face deathly serious. 

She choked. “Svadilfari? As in the horse you…” Her eyes went comically wide as she looked over the horse’s size. “Had a… child with?” The last part she whispered loudly, her eyes darting to Thor who sat back on his horse, brows drawn down heavily as her words passed his ears as well. 

Loki looked at his brother, before back to his little Midgardian. His eyes were fiery and his lips set grimly upon his face. Charlie stepped back involuntarily, the stormy look on his face frightening her for a moment. She lifted her hands up to apologize just as Thor snorted, breaking Loki’s hard facade. The both of them broke out into great bellows of laughter, Thor slapping his leg as he doubled over with glee. 

Charlie felt utterly confused in that moment. Loki swung gracefully from his saddle and strode up to her, tipping her chin as he kissed her thoroughly. “You are funny, Charlie Harper”, he said as he pulled away, taking her hand as he walked back to the beast. 

“But...but”, she stammered. He picked her up easily, placing her upon the mount before settling in behind her. His powerful thighs tight against her hips. She felt his lips against her ear. “That my dearest, is a mere fairytale. You Midgardians and your foolish beliefs.” 

When he felt her bristle at his comments, he shushed her softly, pulling her in tightly against his front. “It was merely another ghastly story they attributed to the dark son of Odin, Charlie. I have been with many, but I can assure you an animal has never been among any of them.” He kissed the top of her head. “Hold on tight”, he said in a low, seductive voice. He kicked his heels into the flanks of the great black beast causing it to rear up slightly before coming down at a breakneck speed. His massive hooves thundering against the rainbow-mirrored bridge. 

“Try to keep up, brother”, Loki called over his shoulder at Thor. Charlie tilted her head back to look at the other god struggling to catch up. Loki smirked down at her. “Having fun yet, my queen”, he asked. 

Charlie felt like she was flying on the back of the animal, Loki’s solid security supporting her. She let out a loud war cry, raising her hands out to the side as if she were a bird. “Look Loki, I’m flying”, she said with all the wonder of a child on Christmas morning. 

He smiled patiently at her, his thighs clenching tighter around her. With her dark curls escaping their confines and whipping wildly in the wind as her violet eyes peered heavenward, she looked every bit the portrait of a goddess to him. He felt his heart clench. What had this little Midgardian done to him, indeed. 

“Do you see”, she called out. “I am flying, my love. I am a raven.” She let out another cry, her voice primal. 

Loki chuckled, tucking his chin against her shoulder and whispering in her ear. “No my darling, you are the whole universe in this moment merely pretending to be a bird.” 

His words were soft but their meaning was much deeper than even she could understand. Charlie lowered her arms slowly, her breathing rapid as she leaned back into the saddle against her god. “I have missed you”, she said, nuzzling her cheek against his arm. Her eyes looked up suddenly at him. “I need you, Loki. Now. I need you, now.” 

The urgency in her voice almost caused his undoing right then and there. He watched the quick rise and fall of her breasts under the sheer lace. He could practically smell her need, and it drove him crazy. 

They were almost to the palace, but the hunger in her eyes made him mad with his own need. He needed her as much as she claimed to need him. Leaning down low over her, he murmured to the great horse they rode before turning back to the Midgardian with a grin. “If you want to fly, my darling. Then fly, we shall.” 

The animal jumped off the side of the bridge with no warning, Charlie screaming as she clung to the beast’s mane. Suddenly, two great black wings unfurled themselves in front of the woman. They were soaring upwards, over the vast sea of Asgard, over the city, to the very top of the palace itself. 

“Wha...but how”, Charlie stammered, her eyes shining excitement tinged with just the slightest hint of fear. 

Loki just smiled down at her. “You do not question the hows or whys of magic, little one”, he said as he pulled hard on the reins. 

They glided down to a graceful stop inside the walled garden outside of Loki’s rooms. Charlie grinned as she inhaled deeply, the scent of exotic and alien flowers flooding her senses. She had missed this place. For the first time in ages, she felt the calm awareness of home wash over her. 

Loki slid down, reaching up to pull her into his arms. He noted her happy smile as she looked over the garden and up towards the balcony of his waiting chambers above. “Are you happy, my darling”, he cooed down at her, his hands rubbing absentmindedly at her stomach. 

Charlie closed her eyes for a moment, letting her center realign as she regulated her breathing. Opening her bright orbs, she looked at him with such tenderness, such peace that the god forgot anything else around them but her in that moment. 

“I am so very happy, my King”, she replied. She pulled him to her, once again exploring the recesses of his mouth with her tongue. She broke for just a moment, their breathing both ragged. “Let me show you how very happy I am.” 

She fell to her knees before him, her small hand reaching up to unfasten the leather trousers that hugged his lean hips tightly. Loki’s eyes widened a bit in surprise. He hadn’t expected this of his little Midgardian. And here, in the very garden at that. He was entranced by her sudden hedonism and wickedness as she reached inside of his pants to grasp his already hard cock with sure fingers. 

A low moan escaped his lips as he felt her tiny hands struggling to fit all of him within her hold. He was vaguely aware of Svadilfari moving around them anxiously. Loki raised a hand and slapped at the horse’s flanks, sending the beast flying off from the garden with a snort. 

She pulled out his cock, her fingertips ghosting over the swollen tip. Charlie marvelled at his size, softly feeling the heavy weight in her hand. She leaned forward to press a solitary kiss against the satiny flesh, watching the god above her from under her lashes. He sucked in a harsh breath between his teeth, his hand going automatically to the back of her head to press her forward. 

Charlie smiled lazily against him. She ignored the pressure he placed upon her as he urged her to take him fully in her mouth. She was enjoying watching the god come undone under her touch, she would not hurry this. She continued kissing along his head, moving down his shaft with soft, pillowy presses of her lips as her hand fondled his balls gently. 

Loki groaned above her. “You are torturing me, Midgardian”, he said, the words barely more than a growl. She chuckled. “Payback then, for every day I was apart from you”, she replied as her lips reached his base. She pressed another kiss against him, before her tongue darted out to lick a clean stripe back up to his tip. 

He cried out. “Enough!” Loki reached down with both hands, forcing her mouth fully on his throbbing cock, the saltiness of precum hitting her tongue. Her lips stretched wide as she struggled to fit his girth within the warm, wet darkness of her mouth.

She felt his tip pressing ominously at the back of her throat, forcing her to gag around him as she pressed her palms firmly against his leather-bound thighs. “Mmmh”, she garbled out. 

Loki pulled himself from her mouth in one swift movement, concern on his face. “Are you--” he began. Charlie growled at him, her eyes dark pools of violet fire as she stared up at him. She pushed herself forward on her knees, her mouth closing around his cock again. She let out a muffled moan of pure satisfaction, the weight of him heavy on her tongue as she swirled it around him within her mouth. 

He choked out a groan, bringing a closed fist up to his mouth as he bit at his knuckles. His eyes closed as he threw his head back. Her warm mouth on his cock and her skilled fingers on his balls were going to be his undoing. The way her throat constricted around him as her tongue danced up and down him was more magical to the god than anything he could produce with his Sedir. 

Her lips came off his cock with a loud pop, her eyes heady with lust as she pumped his shaft. “Cum for me, my King”, she purred before opening her mouth wide, tongue out at his tip, waiting for him to spill himself over it. 

Her pleas were it for him. He roared as hot spurts of white ribbon shot from his cock, coating her pink tongue in the milky substance. Charlie sat patiently, her eyes fixed solely on him as his warm seed fell into her mouth. As the last bits spilled out, Loki shuddered once before collapsing slightly on top of her, kissing her hair through ragged breaths. 

Charlie swallowed his seed and leaned into his legs as they pressed against her, placing a single kiss against the smooth leather of his pants as she tucked his cock back into his pants. She made a move to get up, only to have Loki place a hand on her shoulder. 

“Ah, ah, ah”, he said with a sinful grin at her. “Not so fast.” Within an instant he was down on the ground with her, guiding her on her back, the lush grass soft beneath her. He loomed over her, carefully holding himself over her stomach as he continued grinning at her wickedly. 

“You are so very lovely laying there like that, your cheeks flushed from want.” His words were little more than a whisper, but the seductive way in which he voiced them had her squirming beneath him. She felt like a bundle of raw nerves. Just the cotton touch of her panties against her core was enough friction to make her yearn for more. 

His glittering eyes watched her knowingly. He touched the side of her face, bringing his fingers down to her lips and manipulating the soft flesh gently. Charlie moaned, her tongue reaching out to lap at his fingers wantonly. He chuckled calmly at her display. Patiently building the tension in her would cause her orgasm to be that more pleasurable. 

He let two of his long digits enter her mouth, letting her suck with gusto and wild abandon at his fingers. His little Midgardian had quite the oral fixation, he thought delightedly to himself. He would gladly make sure he satisfied that need of hers whenever she wanted. But right now was not the time. Now was the time for her pleasure. 

Loki pulled his fingers from her mouth causing her to whimper slightly as her lips turned down in a pout. She opened her mouth in protest, but the look he shot down at her made her forget that words even existed. 

He smiled at her obedience, leaning down to nip at her earlobe. His mouth trailed wet kisses over her collarbone towards her waiting breasts. He reached a hand up to tease one of her peaked nipples through the sheer lace, the hard pebble straining against the fabric. She gasped as he pinched at the nub, her eyes half-open as she watched him intently. His eyes locked with hers as he slowly untied the front laces of her gown, her torso suddenly exposed thoroughly to him. 

He sucked in a breath at the sight of her round breasts, heavier now thanks to his children that grew inside her belly. Her nipples were darker in color, a dusky rose now against the pale flesh. His mouth literally watering at the sight of her lain bare to him. Loki leaned down, taking one nipple in his mouth, his teeth tenderly grazing the firm peak causing his Midgardian to moan breathily as her fingers came down to twine themselves in his dark locks. 

Charlie’s body quivered with lust as he licked and suckled first one breast, and then the other. She could feel the damp moisture that had soaked its way through her panties. “Please”, she panted at him as he leisurely lapped at her chest. She felt him smile against her sensitive skin. 

“Please, what”, he breathed. 

She drew in a raspy breath, “Please, fuck me”. 

He growled in response to her cries. Pushing her skirt up around her knees, he shoved a hand between her legs. His fingers met the wetness of her panties and he groaned aloud. His pants still open and his cock rising from the leather as it strained to find itself free. 

His fingers twisted the damp cloth against her clit, making her cry out as a jolt of unexpected pleasure hit her. He enjoyed watching her reactions. The way her eyes fluttered close. The way her tongue ran over her lips before biting at them. Every breath, every sigh, every moan that came from her throat sounded like the singing of Valhalla itself to him. 

Loki pushed her panties to the side, his thumb pressing down on her clit as he pushed two fingers into her dripping cunt, slowly. Charlie’s breathing hitched, his fingers finding her sweet spot within her while he continued rubbing at the bundle of nerves above. Within seconds she felt that rippling fire that burned her from the inside out pooling between her legs. 

He sensed her orgasm too, pulling his fingers out quickly as he lined himself up with her entrance. The heel of his hand continued its pressure on her clit as her sobs ripped from her throat. As she rode out the first waves of her pleasure, Loki thrust himself into her tight core, bottoming out in a single motion. 

He hissed through his teeth, leaning over her to touch his forehead to hers as he waited for her body to relax around him. He held himself stock-still, hands gently cupping her face. She panted hard as her orgasm came to a head. She could feel him buried to the hilt within her, suddenly aware of the fullness he created inside of her. 

She reached up and grasped the cheeks of his ass through the leathers he still wore, urging him to move, to set the pace. His lips crushed hers as he delved his tongue into the cavern of her mouth. He explored the space just inside her bottom lip, pulling it down with a lone finger as he licked. 

He pulled his cock out, torturously slow, his lips still kissing and licking and exploring her mouth. He sat back from her for a moment, looking into her eyes, his hands braced on the ground beside her head before he snapped his hips forward. Charlie let out a cry of pleasure, her head lolling to the side as he began to pound into her with earnest. 

“Loki”, she mumbled, his name falling from her lips over and over as he fucked her with abandon. The heady, intoxicating sound of their flesh meeting coupled with their moans filled the otherwise silent garden. Charlie felt herself cresting again, her cunt tightening around his cock. Her fingers longed to feel themselves against his skin, but his body was still clothed. 

She satisfied herself with raking her fingers through his hair, pulling his head up as she looked at him through passion-filled eyes. “Cum for me, my King”, she said, her phrasing the same as when her mouth was wrapped around him. Loki’s eyes burned into her. “Cum for me, my GOD”, she cried out, her orgasm ripping once again through her as she threw her head back into the grass. 

In a matter of mere seconds, Loki was groaning out her name, his rhythm thrown off as he sloppily plunged into her. With a final guttural cry, he stilled over her, his arms trembling as he tried to hold up his weight. 

Charlie closed her eyes at the euphoria that filled her. The soaring she felt more real than what she had just done minutes before on the back of Svadilfari. She felt him move out of her, the twinge of emptiness that followed. She felt the results of their coming together trickling softly down her leg. 

Loki quietly readjusted her panties and skirt, before closing her top and laying down beside her in the grass. One arm reached behind her head tucking her under him, while his other wrapped around her middle. “Are you…”, his voice was hesitant as he rubbed her belly. He cleared his throat. “Are you alright?” His eyes met hers with concern. 

Charlie leaned up to kiss him tenderly on his cheek. “I’m fine”. She nuzzled his neck. “They’re fine too, Loki. You don’t have to worry about that, you know.”

He said nothing, just letting out a sigh as he pulled her closer into his embrace. He kissed her temple, sighing once more. 

She pulled away to lean on her elbow and look at him. “What is it”, she asked, her hand tracing his high cheekbone lovingly. 

“Are you truly happy”, he said, his voice tender yet full of uncertainty. Charlie bit at the corner of her lip as she looked deeply into his eyes. “Of course I am, Loki”, she answered, reaching to try to pull him closer to her. 

The god shook his head, causing the woman to frown at him. “Your happiness is all that matters to me now”, he said quietly, moving to sit up and looking straight ahead of him. “I am yours, truly, unequivocally yours.” 

He looked back at her as she strained to rise. “Asgard is yours. Midgard is yours too, if you commanded it. This palace”, his hand gesturing around them. “Our home, our children’s home. There is nothing in all the nine realms I would ever deny you, my little Midgardian.” 

He sat up quickly on his knees, facing her as he grabbed her hand. “It is all yours. I lay it all at your feet. I would suffer for a millenia if only to see you happy, by my side for whatever years we have. Just consent to be mine. Consent to be my queen, Charlie.” 

She stared at him in shock, her eyes filling with tears. She felt the movement of the twins, their twins, in her belly. He asked her if she was happy, and she had answered him in truth. She was happy. The happiest she had been in… she couldn’t even begin to guess when she had been this content. As he sat there on his knees before her, his eyes full of hope and fear, Charlie could only see him in that moment. Her King. Her god. 

Her amethyst eyes looked up shyly at him. “Okay…”, she whispered from behind her fingers.


	19. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe! I struggled a bit with this chapter, so I hope you guys are able to get something from it. There is some Dark Steve popping up, some smut, and some dare I say it, Brotherly Bonding?! Anyway, as always, much love and good vibes to you all! xoxo ~LLL~

Steve sat up suddenly in the hospital bed, looking around wildly. “Whoa, whoa now. Easy there Capsicle”, Tony said as he walked through the door and placed a hand on the soldier’s shoulder. 

“Where is he”, Steve grimaced, his face dark as his lip curled in anger. 

Tony strode over to a nearby water pitcher, pouring a glass of the cool liquid. He came back to the man in the bed, handing him the glass as he sighed. “He’s gone. They’re all gone, buddy.” His voice was apologetic. 

Steve waved off the glass of water with a frown, struggling to untangle himself from the wires that littered his body. With an impatient huff, he pulled at the IV, ripping the needle from his arm. “I’ll find that son of a bitch”, he breathed. “I’ll find him, and I’ll kill him. She belongs here, with me.”

Tony looked at his friend as he tapped his lip with a lone finger. “Rogers”, he finally spoke up. “They’re gone. Her and those children she carried are not our problem anymore. You need to just let it--” 

The soldier stood up, piercing the other man with his one good eye. “I swear to god, Tony, if you tell me to just let it go, I’ll pummel you straight into the floor you're standing upon.” 

Tony sighed, throwing up his hands. “Whatever, old man. Let this consume you. I don’t care. But”, he locked eyes with Steve, raising a finger up to him as he prodded him in the chest. “This is on you, Cap. The team, we’re done. We should’ve let the girl leave here as soon as she stepped off my elevator. But, no… you couldn’t have that could you.” 

His tone grew lower. “I will not have this team thrown into civil war again.You jeopardized us all here with this one, Steve. And for what?” Tony sat the water glass down on the table beside the bed heavily. “For what”, and walked from the room without another word. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie awoke to the sensation of Loki’s mouth upon her sex, lapping at the slit lazily with long, slow strokes of his tongue. She gripped the sheets around her, moaning low. His dark head came up over her mound with a grin, his lips glistening. “Good morning, my pet”, he purred up to her. 

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Good morning indeed”, she replied, reaching her fingers into his hair and tugging him down once more. 

Loki chuckled, moving his head back between her legs. His breath was cool on her as he blew softly against her heated skin. She squirmed above him, letting out a breathy sigh when he began to suck gently on her lips, spreading them and swirling his tongue among her wetness.

Her sighs turned into whines as he latched onto her clit, flicking the bud expertly. “Mmm”, she whined lowly, her nails digging into her own skin as she raked her fingers across her breasts down to the tops of her thighs. He let loose his own long moan as he tasted her sweetness, plunging his tongue in deeper, fucking her with his mouth. 

Charlie writhed on the bed, her hips thrusting upwards wildly, trying for more friction of the god’s tongue on her dripping sex. Her hands inched downwards, leaving her skin to dig into the tender flesh of Loki’s scalp making the god hiss sharply. 

His mouth was wandering a path of pure pleasure over her, lapping and sucking until her back arched over the bed. She cried out, her body trembling as she tried to close her legs against the onslaught of the overwhelming pleasure he tortured her with. 

Loki’s hands reached up to stop her, spreading her legs wide as he held her open. His palms were tight against her inner thighs, fingers kneading the soft skin while his mouth continued its torture below. 

She whimpered loudly, feeling the beginnings of her orgasm as it worked through her body. He was building the pleasure higher and higher; sending her closer to the edge each time before stopping and going back to slow, lazy laps of his tongue. 

A sob ripped from her throat as she shook her head back and forth against the bed.“Lo---Loki”, she stammered as she felt the crest of another orgasm begin. But as he had done the past three times, once her cries met his waiting ears, he merely backed off, leaving her hanging by a thread from the edge. 

She felt him hum on her, his head coming up under her fingers. “Say it for me”, he pleaded with her, his eyes dark and full of sinful wickedness. 

Charlie’s violet-blue eyes locked with his, her full lips caught between her teeth. The pad of his thumb circled her clit slowly as he watched her, waiting. “Please, Loki”, she begged. He shook his head, pulling his thumb away, his fingers playing leisurely along her sex, smearing her juices up and down her slit. “Say it”, he repeated. 

She threw her head back against the bed in frustration. “Please, Loki. I need to cum. Make me cum, my King. My god”, the last words were breathed out on a whimper. His eyes narrowed as he smirked in triumph, before plunging two fingers inside of her and pumping, his lips latching back onto her bud. 

The rising knot low in her belly began again, pulling her tighter and tighter. She moaned low, her hands leaving his inky locks to spread above her head in wild abandon against the silk. When he added a third finger, she lost herself completely to the increased pleasure he gave her. With a sob, tears prickling at her eyes, Charlie screamed his name. Her back arched high as her hips bucked upwards involuntarily. Her orgasm ripped through her body, making her dissolve around him and shatter into a million tiny pieces. His fingers and mouth continued guiding her through the static as her pleasure exploded through her and her eyes rolled back into her head. 

When the last waves coursed through her body, only then did he pull himself off her, slinking up her body in the bed to press a deep, rough kiss on her mouth, forcing her to taste herself on his tongue. “Mmm, Good Morning, my Queen”, he said again, breaking away from the kiss to stand from the bed, holding his hand out to her. “I suppose we have business to attend to this morning”, he said with a deep sigh of resignation.

Charlie’s breathing came in hard gasps as she reached out for his outstretched hand, letting him help pull her to her feet. She nuzzled into his bare chest, kissing the hard planes of the sinewy skin. “When I’m with you, it’s like everything glows”, she mumbled against him, breathing in his smell as his cool embrace folded around her. She wrapped herself into him. “You are the sun, my King, and I am just merely a planet pulled into your orbit.” 

Loki kissed her exposed shoulder, nipping it tenderly. “My little Midgardian, do not sell yourself so short”, he shushed against her skin. He pulled back to look at her with his signature intensity. “The sun is but a dwarf star. You are my entire universe, all the Nine Realms and beyond. You are my Queen. The Queen to Asgard and Jotunheim. The mother of gods. Galaxies will fall to their knees before you.” 

He kissed her deeply, growling as she bit at his lips. “Business can wait”, she breathed against him. She pulled him back into bed with her, climbing precariously atop him. “Galaxies can wait.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki sat at the head of the table, his brother beside him. All of the Asgardian nobles and councilmembers were seated before them, their voices loud and overwhelming in that moment. He had called the meeting together to announce the impending birth of his sons. As well as to inform the lords of his decision regarding the Midgardian woman as their mother, and his Queen. 

The first news brought many congratulations his way, each currying for the favor of their apparent king with more gusto than the one before them. The news of his choice of Charlie, a mortal Midgardian woman, as Queen was not met so well. 

“But, but… My Lord”, one man spoke up, looking around him at the other nobles for support. “She is not Asgardian. She is not of noble birth. Surely there are many eligible women still within the city that one mustn't go looking outside of it, nay outside our very realm, for a queen.” 

Thor shot his brother a look. His face was very unreadable in that moment to the dark god. There was a touch of regret upon the fair features, but also something akin to true concern at the man’s words. Loki’s frown deepened. He would not have his children born as bastards. And he would be damned if he allowed his Midgardian to ever leave his side again. 

But Loki also knew that his people could be very fickle people indeed. It would not do to have them turn on him, not when he needed their cooperation if he was going to be a successful king. 

The god held up a hand, silencing the man who sat down shakily, as if afraid one of the guards would come to drag him away at any moment. “I have heard your words voiced”, Loki said simply, looking up at all of those gathered. “As well as those you have not voiced so openly”, at this statement he shot Thor a cursory glance before continuing. “I understand your concern. But this woman is to be the mother of my children. The mother to gods. Should she not be given the honor as my queen as well?” 

The men talked amongst themselves, each raising their voice to be heard above the other. “Your Highness”, Fandral, one of Thor’s Warrior’s Three and one of the largest landowners in the realm, spoke. The simpering blonde stood up, his chair scraping against the stone floor. “You have to consider how this makes the King of Asgard appear. Midgardians are--” 

“Are what, dearest friend”, Thor growled from beside Loki, his fists going up to sit upon the table ominously. 

Fandral blinked rapidly, his brow furrowing in confusion. “They are beneath us, Thor. I am sorry to be the one to say it because I, of all people on this council, know of your love for Midgard and its people. If this were just merely a tryst, then who am I to say nought. But this”, he placed his palms upon the table, leaning slightly on its surface as he pierced every man seated around it with his gaze, ending finally on the two brothers at its head. “This is the throne of Asgard we are speaking of. The title of the new Allmother. Should we not have more reverance for those two things alone? ” 

There were murmurs of agreement around the room. Thor shot from his seat, banging a fist on the table. Loki just looked at him from under his heavy brow, anger and curiosity fueling him. Anger at the idiot Fandral’s words, but curiosity about seeing exactly what type of rebuttal his brother intended here. Curiosity won out, as was often the case with the God of Mischief. 

He sat back in the high-backed chair, its ornate workings of gold digging through his dark leather and into his skin. He watched through narrowed eyes, his brother pointing a thick finger at his friend. “You do not dare speak of what would and would not revere the title our Mother once held”, Thor said fiercely. “Loki is your King. He is my King”, he turned to the side to look at his brother as he said this. “If he believes this is best, then who are we, as his subjects to question him.” 

Loki’s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. He could not believe that his brother, the great and mighty arrogant ass himself, had stood up for him. For him, and for his Midgardian, of all people. He nodded his head once in acknowledgement at his brother, the blonde god casting his eyes down in slight embarrassment before turning to reclaim his seat. “Oh”, Thor added before sitting down, “and for the record, Midgardians are not beneath us. Perhaps it is time for Asgard to stop thinking so highly of herself and see the bigger picture out there.” 

“I”, Loki cleared his throat, as he stood up finally, “Thank you, Brother”, he said thickly. He cast his focus on the men before him. “I know this may seem like an affront to the traditions of Asgard.” He chuckled to himself, raising his eyebrows in slight amusement as he said it, “I used to believe that Midgard was beneath us too. I even went to the realm itself in hopes of claiming it. Subjugating the land, and all of its people, under me, under my rule. And, do you know what happened?” He looked around the room, his face a blank mask. 

“I lost. Midgard and her people defeated me. They defeated me, a god”, he thundered the last part, causing many to start at the sudden shift in his voice. “They are not beneath us, yet neither are they better than us. Asgard has ruled over the Nine Realms for a milenia and then some.” His eyes were sad as his voice grew quiet once more, “We lost the Allmother because we thought ourselves better than those we ruled over. And then the Allfather because of our bloodlust.” 

Loki sighed to himself, before shaking his head ruefully. “I will not fall victim to the same fate as my mother nor my father. I will be a different king for Asgard. The mother of my children will be a different queen for Asgard. And in return, Asgard will embrace us and flourish. For without change, then our realm is destined for a downward spiral, and there is nothing that even I, with all my magic and cunning, can do to stop it.”

He walked from the group, his back to them as he turned towards one of the great archways that overlooked the vast sea of Asgard below. Placing a hand upon the stone, he leaned against it with a tired sigh, eyes drinking in the calm and beauty of the water. He made a mental note to take his little Midgardian sailing before the twins arrived. There was so much of Asgard she had yet to see. 

“I will not speak of this again. I do not wish to incite the anger of Asgard’s most noble men, but I will marry the woman, and she will become my Queen.” He turned around sharply, his eyes dark. “And your Queen!” His voice was soft but lethal as he hissed the words out, his lips curling in a half snarl at the bloated and pompous men before him. “Now, make the news known”, he barked at them, raising a hand to dismiss them as he turned his eyes back to the serene sea below. 

The men all began to mumble quietly, chairs scraping against flagstone and boots clacking in response as they filed out of the vast ante-chamber. 

He would take her now, why wait? The late afternoon sun glinting off the ripples looked just like jewels sparkling. It would be the perfect place to finally give her his gift, to make her see just how he would treat his queen from here on out. 

His fingers came up before his face, a glow filling them before disappearing, leaving a giant green stone set in shards of gold in its wake. Loki smiled fondly at the ring, his eyes misting with tears as he reminisced. The jewel had belonged to his mother, Frigga. Given to her by him some hundreds of years ago for one of her name day’s. She had insisted on wearing the ring everyday. 

This ring would be the one to grace his new queen’s finger as she took her place amongst the kingdom, a reminder of his promise to her. He palmed the ring, turning it in his hand over and over, as he pictured it on his Midgardian’s tiny hand. 

“Do you intend to give her Mother’s ring”, Thor’s voice invaded his quiet thoughts. 

Loki’s eyes shot up from the ring, looking at his brother as he saddled up beside him. Thor’s eyes were focused on the calm sea, blue orbs squinting against the late sun. The dark god looked back out, the ring clutched tightly in his palm, pressing almost painfully into the skin there. He pulled in a deep breath. “I do”, he replied simply. 

Thor made a grunt of approval, nodding his head. The fair man cleared his throat before looking down at his hands clasped before him. “Brother”, he began thickly, clearing his throat once more. He turned to Loki, grasping his shoulder roughly. “Brother, forgive me for…”, his voice broke. 

The other god looked at his brother with confusion and surprise, his brow furrowed. Thor choked on what sounded suspiciously like a sob. Loki blinked rapidly, before reaching up to pat his brother’s hand upon his shoulder awkwardly. “You don’t have to”, he said, his voice strained and ill-at-east. 

The god of thunder shook his head. “No, no. I do. I have”, he faltered for a moment, “I have to get this out. I have wronged you, Brother.” 

“No less than I have done to you”, Loki responded quietly. 

Thor raised his hand from the dark god’s shoulder before clapping it back down hard. “I have wronged your Queen, Loki. My actions towards the woman all those years ago”, tears glistened in his ocean-colored eyes. “Is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I took my hurt and in turn hurt her with it.”

Loki’s brow darkened, he did not want to relive his brother’s past sins against his Midgardian. “I am not the one you need to be asking for forgiveness”, he muttered, his voice tinged with his ire. 

The blonde god stopped speaking, looking down and sighing before his head came back up in a single nod. “I understand, Brother. I will make things right with your Midgardian, with the mother to my nephews, to our soon-to-be Queen. Have no fear of it.”

Loki cut his emerald eyes at his brother, “In that case then”, he began, a single eyebrow arched sardonically. “I should think you would wait until after the twins are born. Her mood swings of late…”, he struggled to keep his face a hard mask as his lips quirked. “Worse than my own.”

Thor’s eyes locked with his brother’s, still full of unshed tears as first confusion and then realization hit him. He boomed out a short bark of laughter, “Then I shall wait, indeed. Wouldn’t want her stabbing me suddenly or anything.” 

The dark god smirked in response, “Well, it’s not like it wouldn’t be well-deserved”, he simply said, his dark humor coloring his voice. 

“Shut up, Brother”, Thor said with a shove, both men breaking into grins as they turned to leave the chambers together. 

Maybe this was the start towards mending their very broken relationship, Loki thought silently to himself. Just maybe, things would start looking up here soon... for all of them.


	20. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I am so sorry for the delay... the new normal we all are facing these days has been a HARD adjustment, to say the least! But here it is, Chapter 20. This ride isn't going to go so smoothly for our Favorite god and his Midgardian...  
I hope you guys enjoy!! Stay safe and much love in this upside down world ~ xoxo LLL

[Grace Grundy](https://soundcloud.com/grace-grundy) · [Blinding Lights](https://soundcloud.com/grace-grundy/blinding-lights)

Charlie sat at the desk, her fingers gliding over the pages of paper as she sketched. She paused for a moment, pushing back a stray lock and leaving a smudge of charcoal behind on her cheek. Her eyes looked out the window at the courtyard below, as she strained to see the open breezeway that connected Loki’s personal quarters of the palace to the chamber where his meetings were held. 

Her violet eyes searched and squinted before falling on a figure in black, a racing blur along the hall, a cape of emerald green billowing behind. Her heart leapt into her throat as the twins somersaulted in her belly. Her brow furrowed, his quick pace had her worried. 

Charlie pushed herself from the desk, and made her way to the doors, opening them gingerly just as her god appeared before them. “Loki”, she breathed as she took in his wide smile and glittering eyes. She wrapped her arms around his cool neck and nuzzled the skin exposed there. 

Loki’s body tensed for a moment, a habit of his that she was beginning to understand had less to do with her and more to do with all the years he went without a true connection. She ignored it and pressed her swollen form into the hard angles of him. 

“I saw you from the window”, she murmured against him, her fingers playing gently in his hair. “I thought…”. Her voice trailed off as she felt his cool grip slide up and close around her upper arms, pulling her gently off. 

Loki’s green eyes held hers as he cupped her face, swiping at the smudge on her cheek with a tender smile. “Did you worry for me, little one”, he said, his voice low. 

Charlie blinked rapidly before casting her gaze downward. “How can I not”, she finally answered, her eyes once more locking with his, their lavender depths full of turmoil. “When you insist on presenting me as Queen of Asgard. I am sure the high lords didn’t take too well to that news this afternoon, did they?” 

The dark god let out a heavy sigh, dropping his hands from her and running them wearily over his face. “Not this again”, he groaned from behind his long fingers. 

The woman huffed before him, her chest heaving as her irritation practically rolled off her swollen and very pregnant body. “Oh no you don’t”, she said through clenched teeth, following his retreating figure. “Tell me I am wrong? Tell me that not a one of them objected to this coronation that you are so insistent I take part in?”

Her eyes searched his covered face, her hard features softening. “Tell me I am wrong, Loki”, she whispered, tears threatening to form. 

Loki sighed again, before dropping his hands from where they had continued to hide his face. “My little Midgardian”, he soothed, taking her once more into his embrace. “Were you ever so fierce before?” 

Charlie scoffed, “be serious, Loki”. 

The god furrowed his brow. “Oh but I am, pet!” His words emphatic. “Is it now that you carry my children, gods themselves, within you that causes you to be such a spitfire?” Loki grinned charmingly down at her, his eyes full of mirth. 

She let out another derisive snort. “Maybe if I had been such a _ fierce spitfire _ before I wouldn’t be standing here heavy with _ your _gods”, she said with a roll of her eyes as she motioned at her middle. 

Loki let out a deep laugh, pulling her tighter to him and kissing her temple. “Oh my darling, you will make an excellent mother to our sons. And”, he paused, pressing his lips along the shell of her ear and down the angle of her chin, “A fine Queen to Asgard”. 

Charlie moved to jerk her body from his grasp, only to feel his hand snake up to the back of her head, fingers coiling in her hair tightly as he held her in place. His lips broke their contact on her jaw. “Stop”, he commanded, his voice soft but firm, the pressure of his fingers in her hair tightening slightly. 

She lifted her hand, intending to strike him across those pale, perfect cheekbones of his. But the god was quicker, like every time in the past when she had tried the same move. His free hand curled around her thin wrist, his emerald eyes locked on to her with an unreadable expression. 

Charlie waited with baited breath, watching him intently as he took in her intended act of violence. Surely now, things were different. Surely now that she carried his sons, now that she carried his love. But Loki was as mercurial as they came, that much she knew. Even now he could be as unpredictable as a cat, and as lethal as a snake if need be. 

But he just raised her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips softly across her knuckles, his eyes closing as he bowed his head over her digits. Her breath hitched in her throat, her eyes focused solely on him, the room around them fading into nothingness. 

Loki turned her hand over, pressing kisses into her palm, his tongue gently swirling along the lines that patterned there. Charlie let out a small whimper, causing the god to stop his movements, his lips curling into a slow smile against her hand. 

His head rose back up, his eyes soft. He kept her hand firmly encased in his own. “Get dressed”, he said quietly. At the look of her confusion, his grin increased. “I have something I want to show you, my little one.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie stood in the middle of the golden boat, its great wings spread on each side as Loki steered them over the water, his hands grasping the elaborate gold handle with unbridled excitement in his eyes. The speed at which they flew over the water was both terrifying and intoxicatingly exhilarating at the same time. The vast, glassy sea that surrounded Asgard blurred beneath them, twinkling like shooting stars under the reds and pinks of the setting sun. 

“Where are we going”, she asked loudly over the whooshing of the waves below. 

The dark god turned back to her, smiling so broadly at her she thought his face might very well split in two from the force. The boat suddenly stopped as he reached out a hand to her. “We are here”, was all he said simply. 

Charlie stood and placed her hand in his, feeling his cool grip as he gently squeezed her fingers. She tried looking past his broad shoulders at what lay behind him, but the attempt was in vain. All she could make out was some sort of beach, crystalline sands and steep, rocky mountains beyond. 

She opened her mouth to speak but he just placed a finger against her lips. “Shhh”, he whispered, bending down to kiss her cheek softly, before lifting her into his arms and carrying her gracefully off the boat and onto the sands below. 

Loki sat her back upon her feet and held his arms out to nature’s grandeur that seemed to swallow them whole. White sands spilled beneath their feet before turning into evergreen forests that rose into the craggy iron gray mountainside, caps of white doting their tops. A churning waterfall cascaded down one of the stone faces, ending in a frothy gush of water that bubbled into a large pool of turquoise edged with green, steam rising from the water invitingly. 

Charlie let out a gasp as she turned slowly in place, taking in the beauty around her. Behind them lay the ship, hovering just above the waves that crashed upon the shore, with all of Asgard as its backdrop. Glimmering golden towers shone as if consumed by fire, the setting sun lighting up the city. 

“Oh Loki”, she breathed, turning back to him with tears shimmering in her eyes. He had known she would love his secret place. She, his little Midgardian, who saw and appreciated the beauty in all things, even him. He saw the faint blush in her cheeks, her eyes so full of wonder as they shone, her dark hair spread around her face. She fairly glowed in her radiance. His sons she carried only added to her beauty. She was truly otherworldly, a Queen if ever he saw one. 

She held out a hand to him, as he drew her closer. He felt her nuzzle her face against his chest before placing a small kiss over his heart. The gesture so simple yet so powerful. And she did it without even realizing, without any sort of strings attached. He had never known such intimacy, never known such unconditioned affection. Not from any woman. Certainly not from his father. Even his mother’s love, as soft as it was, had been used at times to restrain him, to restrain his anger and even his magic. 

Loki pulled her tighter to him, two fingers beneath her chin lifting her face to his. Once her eyes were locked with his, his fingers left her chin as his hands splayed on each side of her face, her skin like soft satin beneath his touch. He pulled her in roughly, his lips hungry and demanding as they met hers.

He hadn’t intended on being so forceful, but there was something about his little Midgardian that did something to him at times, and right now was one of those times. Even round with his children, he wanted nothing more than to lay her down right there on that beach and to take her. 

His tongue stroked hers, his hands leaving her face. One to fist itself into her hair, the other to pull at the top of the loose gown she wore, exposing her heavy breasts to the cool evening air. 

He felt her sharp intake of breath against his mouth and it caused his own desire to flame even higher. “My King”, she sighed, her hands in his hair urging his mouth downwards. Loki smirked into her skin, trailing a smattering of hot kisses from her lips down the column of her neck. 

Leaning her head to the side, Charlie let out a low moan as the god’s kisses turned darker, sharper. His lips and teeth nipped at her smooth flesh, sucking and grazing her throat in such a way that she was sure she would be wearing his mark for days after. But she didn’t care. In that moment as she leaned further into his touch, all she cared about was quenching the fire that raged within her. 

His body loomed over hers as he used his size and height to push her small form backwards, up the sand and towards a grove of evergreens. She moaned again from the onslaught of Loki’s tongue still on her skin. Her body felt as if she were engulfed in flames, their radiating heat spreading and coursing through her entire body. His hands clung to her feverishly as he guided her to the ground, his mouth never leaving her. 

“Do you know how beautiful you are”, Loki purred against her skin as his hands skimmed her breasts and over her stomach. His fingers fumbled with her gown for a moment before they found their target, ghosting over her bare mound. Charlie whimpered in response, her teeth biting at her bottom lip. “So very beautiful”, his words were low and sultry. “You’re perfect, my darling.” 

The tip of his long fingers brushed along her already slick slit. She arched herself further against his hand, earning her a short laugh. “So eager”, he murmured against her chest, taking one of her peaked nipples into his mouth, his tongue expertly rolling the bud around. 

There was no point in trying to deny it, her body already confirmed how ready and willing she was for her god. “Please Loki”, she begged, her fingers digging into his scalp. The god stopped his lapping at her breasts, raising his head to look down at her, eyebrow cocked in that lazy sureness of his. “Please don’t tease me so Loki. I want you so bad. I need you so bad”, the words spilling from her mouth in a single breath. 

He groaned at her words, looking down at her writhing figure. She looked so helpless, so needy; yet the power she held over him, she truly had no idea. Her belly swollen with their children. It caused him pause for a moment. If she were not so round with child he would have relished in her cries, having her beg a bit more for his cock as he rubbed it against her torturously. 

He would plow hard into her, having her scream out his name as she came over and over until she finally cried that she couldn’t take it anymore. He made a mental note to bring her out here again once the twins were born, so that he could take her in this very grove once more. 

And that time he would fuck her all night until the sun came up on them the next morning. Her body covered in sweat and purple marks from his fingers and mouth. But for tonight, he would have to satisfy them both by taming his inner beast.

Loki sucked in a harsh breath as he freed his throbbing cock from his leather trousers. Beneath him, his little Midgardian squirmed, arching her hips up trying to feel him against her. Again, he was struck by her astounding beauty. Had she always been this beautiful, he mused to himself. 

Biting his lower lip, he gently pushed his throbbing cock against her wetness and into her. Below, she let out a sharp hiss followed by a low mewl of satisfaction. He held himself carefully over her, slipping his fingers into hers above her head as he bent low over her, pressing a deep kiss to her lips. It took everything in him to not just pound into her. But he waited. Patiently waited. 

He could feel her walls adjusting around him, signaling to him when she was ready. He began to move his hips then, catching a steady pace as he rocked into her. His thrusts were slow but deep. Her breathy sighs as he filled her surrounded them in the still nature. She tipped her head back against the soft beach, her toes curling into the ground. 

“Does that feel good, my pet”, he cooed over her, watching her reactions as they passed over her expressive face. She just squeezed his fingers, her mouth parted slightly, eyes screwed shut. Loki pressed a kiss in the hollow at the base of her neck, his thrusts picking up speed as he reached down and slung one of her legs over him so that it rested against his ass. 

His little Midgardian let out another moan, spurring him on. He saw her tongue dart out to moisten her parted lips, her eyes opening with a dazed look of ecstasy as she tried to focus on him. Her violet eyes clouded and hazy. He could feel her begin to tremble beneath him. “Mmm”, she moaned, her legs shaking. With a sudden cry into his neck, she pressed her mouth against his skin as her orgasm ripped through her like wildfire. “Fuck”, she groaned into him. 

As she spasmed around him, the look of bliss that colored her eyes and the whines of pleasure that spilled from her breathless lips sent the god over his own edge. With a guttural growl, Loki felt his seed leave him in hot spurts. He shook from the control over which he tried to hold himself over her through his own state of euphoria. 

In all his years of seduction, his body had never responded like this. She was able to turn him on, spur him on, rip orgasms from him in a matter of moments. How was it that this mortal woman was able to draw such a powerful response from him each time, as if the last time had been nothing? 

She was still trying to even her own breathing when he finally withdrew from her and pressed a lingering kiss between the mounds of her breasts. He felt the small bubble of laughter that coursed through her body and erupted from her pillowy lips. Loki rolled onto his side in the sand, propping himself up with one arm and looked at her with curiosity. 

“What amuses you”, he quipped, thin lips tipped up at the corners in confused interest.

Charlie shook her head, turning to face him. Her fingers reached out to brush a stray lock of inky black hair that had fallen across his forehead. His skin was cool under her fingers. “I love you, my King”, she said simply, her eyes full of earnest emotion. 

Loki closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the way her words drifted across and embraced him like a warm fire on a winter’s night. Opening his green depths, he grasped at her hands pulling her up with him until they were both on their knees in front of one another. She let out another chuckle. “Loki”, she teased, “what in the world are you doing”. 

He let go of one of her hands, outstretching his palm as his trademark golden-green glow shone around them for the briefest of seconds. In its wake was a small, intricately carved box, its deep ochre wood glistening almost like glass. Charlie’s eyes looked down at the box then back at Loki’s vulnerable face. “What is this”, she murmured, touching her forefinger and thumb to her bottom lip in a worrying way of hers. 

He squeezed her fingers. “My dearest one”, he began gently. “I don’t simply want you to become Queen in name only. By means of just a coronation. I--”, his words tumbled and stuttered from his mouth in a way that was so unlike him. 

Charlie blinked a few times, looking back and forth between him and the ornate box. He was nervous! As the thought hit her, she almost laughed out loud at the very idea of it. Loki, the god of Mischief, King of Asgard and Jotunheim was nervous! Thankfully, she held her astonishment inside. If nothing, she knew how proud Loki was. Laughing at this moment would not be wise. 

But then, as suddenly as the notion of his nervousness hit her, another thought struck her just as unexpectedly. Her lavender eyes flew to his face. “Loki is…”, her words faltered for a moment as she reached out a trembling hand towards the box. “Is this… are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?”

He licked his lips and cocked his head, crooked grin on his pale face “What is it that you think I am asking you?”

She shook her head, pulling her hand away from the box. “Don’t mock me”, she said softly. “I wouldn’t dare to assume..”, her words trailed off as she searched his face. 

Loki opened the box with a flick of his fingers, the giant raw emerald surrounded by its jagged edges of gold shining in the waning light. “Marry me”, he whispered to her. “Be my wife, not just my Queen, but my partner in this life until I meet you one day in Valhalla.”

“Valhalla”, she echoed back at him questioningly. 

He smiled softly, his eyes warm and liquid pools of green fire. “Yes, my little one, Valhalla. The mother to gods is destined for no less.” 

A range of emotions played across Charlie’s face. Marriage? Marriage to Loki? She felt the babies within twist and turn frantically inside of her, as if straining upwards to find their father’s touch. “I--”, she stammered. 

Loki placed a hand on her belly, the twins’ movements immediately calming into lazy flips. “Say yes”, he urged, his voice as smooth as velvet honey. “Say yes to me, yes for me. For you. For us. For our family”, the pad of his thumb rubbed back and forth across her middle at that last bit.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she fought to center herself. Inside of her mind a war raged. Raged both against and for saying yes to him. This was the man who held her captive for months, who used her body against her will, who had taken his own hurt and anger and rage and turned it towards her. Her heart sunk with these thoughts... these memories. 

But was he not also the man who had changed? Who had turned loving her and her body into an art form? Who had promised to love and protect her? The man who had saved her from the clutches of Steve Rogers and who loved her even more fiercely once he knew she carried their children? 

Charlie took another deep breath before opening her eyes and looking into the eager face of the beautiful god before her. “Okay”, she said softly, her words barely more than a whisper. 

Loki’s brow furrowed for a moment as he took in her acquiescence before his face split into a brilliant smile, his gleaming white teeth shining. “Yes”, he questioned disbelievingly. “Truly, yes?” 

She smiled back at him, his enthusiasm contagious. “Yes, Loki. Truly yes.” 

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling them both up as he swung her around in the air. “Stop”, she squealed with laughter, causing the god to set her back upon her feet with a sheepish look on his face. 

“You have no idea how happy you’ve made me”, he purred down at her, his eyes soft as he slipped his mother’s ring upon his Midgardian’s finger. His lips sought out hers, their cool fever pressing into her mouth with abandon. She could feel his already growing member, once again ready. She smiled into his kiss, her hands running over the hard plains of his torso to reach down and stroke him. His mouth kissed at the corner of her lips, moving across her jaw and down to her collarbone. 

A sudden dampness crept down her legs. The sensation was so… strange. Charlie broke away from his insistent kisses, looking down at the stain that spread across the pale pink gown she wore. The wetness was tinged bright red. 

Her eyes flew to his face. “Loki”, she cried, fear in her voice. A sharp pain stabbed her from behind, flowing from her lower back and reaching around to her front. A sob forced its way past her lips. “Something is wrong”, she managed to say to the god, his eyes wide with terror, before her vision clouded and she collapsed into the sand. 


	21. Valhalla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****TRIGGER WARNING****  
This chapter will deal with depictions of death and grief. 
> 
> Sorry for the delay, I have been dealing with some things my way. This chapter was hard to write for me, and very personal. I know it may be hard for some to read, but this is part of this Loki's journey. Thanks to all that are still with me on this journey. Stay safe everyone and make good choices :) xoxo ~LLL~

[StenRosendahl](https://soundcloud.com/stenrosendahl) · [Low Mist](https://soundcloud.com/stenrosendahl/low-mist)

Bright, blinding light. Its brightness both cold and warm at the same time as it encompassed her. Charlie’s mind drifted in and out of that pool of light, battling back the choking darkness that threatened to overtake her. In between the war of the light and dark, she was aware of another sensation. Pain. Sharp, unyielding pain that felt as if her very form was being repeatedly ripped into shreds over, and over again. 

Screams pierced the air. Hers? 

No, these screams were ones of anger... and fear. Loki’s frantic voice, shouting out commands. A woman’s voice responding, calmly and with intention. And another voice, booming and deep as it called out words of reassurance. Thor was here too. 

Here? Where was here? Charlie tried to focus on what was around her, what she could feel besides the pain, what she could see besides the light and dark. She could feel hard wood beneath her, her fingers trying to claw at the smooth grain. Her ankles were spread apart, bound to the table she lay on by some sort of leather strap. Strange scents filled her nostrils. The sharp, coppery smell of blood. The acrid yet strangely sweet smell of smoky incense. 

Her vision still swam with blurs and shadows, but she was aware of hands on her bare middle. The skin was warm and weathered with lines and wrinkles as it worked methodically over the tight, tautness of her belly. The scent of herbs wafted up, mingling with all the other scents in the room. 

The calm voice full of intent spoke again, low and soothing as it chanted some sort of ancient language. The air was thick with the buzz of magic. Charlie heard once more the desperate and frenzied cries of Loki, the urgency in his voice so full of pain, so full of heartbreak. 

She couldn’t make out his words though. She couldn’t seem to make out anyone’s words as once more searing pain overtook her body. The cool touch of metal sliced through her flesh with an intense fire. She saw the darkness creeping along the borders of her vision, shadows edging closer and closer. And she knew. At that moment, she knew... she would not see her children. And she would never see her love again. 

A wail pierced the chamber. A sharp and breathy thing. Followed shortly by another. Her boys! At the knowledge that her children had finally been brought into this world, peace stole into her heart. The darkness finally pulling her under as her mind whispered a prayer for the health and happiness of her children... and of her King. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki held his son Vali, the infant's skin shining faintly blue under his milky white countenance, the markings of the Jotunn just visible on his forehead .His head was covered in soft, downy black curls. His other son, Narfi, lay swaddled in a swath of fuzzy blankets. The hair on his head lighter, like his mother’s. His belly full of milk from the wetnurse that had left just mere minutes before. The mark of the Jotunn had already begun to fade on both, his children working to mask their other form just as Loki himself had done as a babe with Odin.

He cradled his son, nuzzling the babe’s head, tears pooling hotly in his eyes. He placed a soft kiss on the child, before placing him beside his sleeping brother. The two turning into one another for comfort in their sleep. 

The weight of his Midgardian’s death struck him. Like a physical blow to his very gut. A scream bubbled deep within him, but he covered his mouth tightly with both his hands as he choked on it. How could the fates be so cruel? When he had finally found love, had finally known peace? To snatch that all away from him. To snatch a mother away from her children. 

A light tap at the door sounded, followed by the large form of Thor filling the entrance. He said nothing, but instead walked over to his sleeping nephews, his rugged face softening as he looked down at the two infants. Loki barely cast him a glance, instead choosing to stare out at the inky blue night sky, his hands gripping the edge of the balcony railing painfully. He felt as if he couldn’t breathe, as if he walked within the skin of another instead of his own. 

Thor came up beside him quietly, reaching out a hand and placing it on his brother’s shoulder. Loki made to shrug it off, his anger seething just below the surface. But Thor wasn’t deterred. Instead, he grabbed the dark god by the scruff of his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. 

All of the sorrow and anger seeped out of Loki suddenly with a silent cry of anguish. He felt his body go limp in his brother’s arms as he wept. When he felt the shudder of grief pass through Thor, Loki only wept harder. “How am I to live, brother”, he finally whispered as he pulled away and sunk to the floor, head in hands. “How am I to go on without her? The one thing, the only thing that redeemed me? The light to all of this darkness within me”, he said gesturing down at himself with a cold sneer. 

Thor closed his eyes for a moment before opening them to look at his brother. Their ocean depths were colored with tears and sorrow. He sank to the floor beside Loki. “You must”, he replied quietly. “For your children, Brother. And…”, the words stuck in his throat for a moment, “for her”. He grasped Loki’s arm, “For her”. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie opened her eyes. She looked down at the great stone steps that her bare feet stood upon. Her brow furrowed into a look of confusion. Where was she? She tried to remember. Tried to recall what had happened. Closing her eyes, filmy images flashed before her. Screams and wails, pain and blood. 

She had died. Giving birth to Loki’s sons, she had died. But, that didn’t make any sense? If she was dead, then where was she now? Was this Heaven? Hell? The stone steps beneath her felt real and solid enough. There were no frothy clouds of white, or dark shapes of brimstone. Instead all there was were these endless stairs and a strange, blue-tinged white light. She looked down at the tatters she wore, saw the rust colored stains of blood that covered the material. She had no idea what to do. There was nothing behind her but fog and spiraling steps of solid stone. In front, was the same. The only options were backward or forward. Into what, she had no idea. The thought of the unknown frightened her. But staying here, rooted to the spot on these steps, wasn’t an option. So, she walked forward, climbing the stairs with determination. Whatever her fate… she would face it. She was the mother of gods!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had not seen her body. He couldn’t. He had asked Thor to see to the arrangements for her funeral. She had not been crowned queen, but he did not care. He would see to it that she was given the honor in death that was afforded to royalty. To him, she was nothing short of a queen.

A gurgling coo caught his attention. The wetnurse sat nearby nursing one of his sons, while a maid gently rocked the other. It pained him to see his sons cradled by another woman, suckling at the breast of anyone but their mother. It was these women who soothed his children; who caught their tiny fists and pressed soft kisses into them. His heart twisted within him. He couldn’t watch. He had to get out of this room. 

Loki tore his eyes from the two women, mumbling something to them about needing to see to royal business. He didn’t wait for a response as he stumbled out of the nursery and into his chambers next door. As soon as he stepped foot over the threshold, her scent hit him like a ton of bricks, almost bringing the god to his knees as he clutched at the nearby post of the bed for support. If he had thought the nursery was hard, this room was impossible.

A gown of gossamer moss-colored green lay draped over a chair. Her unfinished sketch of Svaðilfari from earlier in the day lay on her desk. The scene of him wiping the smudge of charcoal from her cheek played before him. Had it only been... mere hours ago? 

He gnashed his teeth, his anger once more returning to the surface. His Jotunn form screaming for release, for carnage. Maybe he would go to Jotunheim for a bit, let his darkness run free and untamed on the bleak, frozen landscape. Let the ice flow through his already frozen veins. 

A sudden wail from one of his sons across the hall brought the god back to reality. He had children now. Responsibilities he had never really had before. Children that didn’t have his little Midgardian to care for and tend to them. The agony of her absence hit him once more. Like the swing of his brother’s hammer, over and over again. 

Loki clung to the bedpost as the torment of grief flooded him. Had he ever known such pain, such misery? Even his mother’s death, had it caused his very breath to catch in his throat and his heart to shatter repeatedly into millions of pieces? He dragged himself to his bathing chambers, stripping his clothes off, her blood still staining them dark. Climbing into the cavernous shower, he finally let loose a hoarse howl of torment. Guilt flooded over him as hotly as the water that streamed from above. 

He should have protected her better. If he hadn’t gotten her pregnant in the first place, he could have prevented all this. But what of his sons? Without her falling pregnant, his sons’ lives would cease to exist. The guilt of her death was chased with guilt over the very thoughts of preventing it, like endless waves crashing and rolling one into another. Another scream ripped from his throat as he collapsed to the ground of the shower and cradled his head in his hand. “My love”, he cried in a voice barely above a whisper, “I can’t do this without you. Please. Please”, his pleas turning once more into harsh sobs as the grief overtook him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
  


The steps seemed to go on for forever. This had to be hell, she thought wryly to herself, there is no way heaven would have _ this _many stairs in it. She looked ahead of her, trying to see if the ascending stones ever ended, but everything was bathed in that strange muted light and gray mist. With a deep sigh, Charlie sat down dejectedly against the jagged rock that surrounded the staircase.

Involuntarily her hand moved to her middle, fingers meeting her now flat stomach. Curling the digits into the fabric of her gown, the sudden grief at her life lost hit the woman with a crushing blow. Her body began to shake violently, rage and despair and loneliness filling her very core. With guttural wail, she collapsed into herself, the steady stream of hot tears coursing down her face. 

“Why do you cry so, my child?”

Charlie’s head shot up. The voice was distinctly male, questioning in its tone but strangely soft. Like a father trying to understand a child’s fear during a storm.

“Who’s there”, she called, her voice sounding frail and thin, even to her own ears. 

“Do not be frightened dear, you are among family here.” 

This voice, feminine and kind, full of pure light and warmth.

Charlie shook her head in confusion. “Where is here”, she questioned back. 

A tinkling laugh floated down to her. “Come up and see, why don’t you.”

The gray mist lifted suddenly and a great stone archway stood just mere feet away. Enormous columns etched with glowing runes extended upwards, their tops hidden in the floating fog. Light radiated out from the vast gate, bright and unyielding in its glimmer. 

She scrambled to her feet, practically stumbling up the remaining stairs towards the waiting brilliance. As she passed through the great stone columns, her body itself began to shimmer as all darkness seemed to seep behind her, unable to cross the runed barrier. 

With a gasp of awe, her eyes widened at the sight before her. A vast tree stretched out as far as the eye could see, its massive roots and branches reaching out over the landscape like curling arms. The vast rolling green that surrounded it was bathed in the glimmering radiance that seemed to engulf everything. Yet, there was no visible source with which she could identify the light as coming from. A golden palace sat in the distance, interweaving with the roots of the grand tree as if the two were one. 

“Ah, there you are my dear”, the voice of the woman spoke up softly from beside her, causing Charlie to jump slightly. 

A rush of blue and a kind, stunning face was all she had time to see before welcoming arms encircled her, enveloping her in warmth. “So beautiful”, the woman said. Pulling back from the embrace, a smile curving her lips coyly as her , “No wonder my son fell in love with you”. 

“Son”, Charlie stammered, her eyes blinking rapidly. 

“Yes, my child”, the man spoke from her other side, once more causing her to start in surprise. The man’s golden armor glinted in the light, his white hair and beard contrasting starkly against it. He tipped his head in acknowledgment towards her, “I am Odin and this is my wife, Frigga”. He spread his arms out to the scenery around them. “Welcome to Valhalla.” 

She took an involuntary step backwards as his words hit her. _ Odin? Frigga? Valhalla?! _ “But…”, she stuttered, “but how? Why?”

The god looked at her with a puzzled expression. “Why”, he parrotted back. 

Charlie shook her head emphatically. “Yes! Yes, why. Why am I here?” 

“Why shouldn’t you be”, he mused. 

A frown crossed her face. “I am not a god”, she said simply. “I am not even Asgardian.” This time, there was a hint of sadness in the admission. 

“Oh my dear”, Frigga spoke up as she walked to her, brushing her curls from her forehead and cupping her face gently. “You are more Asgardian than most who have lived in that city for all their lives. Where else would you belong, if not here? You, the mother of our grandchildren. The one who brought our son so much peace and taught him about true, selfless love.” 

Charlie felt her lip tremble as she stared into the same ocean colored eyes that her son, Thor, shared with her. “I belong with them”, she whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks quietly. 

A smile, full of gentle compassion, radiated out from the goddess’s face. “Ahh, there it is!” 

Odin spoke up, “My child, there is but one thing...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki tossed and turned, sheets of black silk wrapping around him like a vise. His body’s weariness claiming him in sleep, but his mind refusing to simply shut off. He screamed in agony, even in his dreams. Her death replaying behind his closed eyelids as if on a hellacious loop. 

He’d wake up, screaming, drenched in sweat, only to fall back under slumber’s spell and repeat the cycle all over again. For days, he drifted through life like a mere shadow. Barely eating, barely sleeping. Holding his sons for long periods of time in a trance-like state until the wetnurse took them gently from him. 

He sat there, holding Narfi on his chest, breathing in the babe’s scent through his brown curls, lost in himself once more.

“Brother.” The voice of Thor floated over him as if through a haze. 

Loki blinked a few times, before looking up at the solid figure of his brother before him, arms outstretched to take the sleeping child from his arms. Instinctively he recoiled, clutching the baby tighter to him. 

A flash of pain crossed Thor’s face for a moment at the barely noticeable gesture. He cleared his throat softly, dropping his arms to his side. “Brother”, he said again, “it has been over a week now. It is time that you…” 

The dark god sucked in a harsh breath, waking the child in his arms as the baby let out a startled cry. The wetnurse rushed into the room from the small chamber she occupied just on the other side, taking the infant with shushes of comfort as she placed him onto her waiting breast. 

Loki retreated further into himself, as he tried to brush past his brother and hide in his rooms. But the god of thunder wouldn’t allow it. 

“Brother, I know how hard this must be. How much this hurts…”

“You know nothing”, Loki roared out, wild pain coloring his emerald depths. 

Thor sighed, throwing up his hands in frustration. “Tell me what I am to do then! You insist on a royal funeral but refuse to see it through! She cannot simply lay in that room under your magic forever, Loki!”

The god of mischief stormed towards his brother, slamming his fist against the wall near his head. “And why can’t she”, he bellowed. “I am King! If I wish her to lay in wake until the day I breathe my own last breath, then by Norns she will!”

“This is madness, Brother”, Thor said sadly, his voice quiet. “Grief and madness.” He gave his brother a look of pity, before shaking his head and turning to leave the room. 

Loki let out a howl of anger, his fist connecting with the wall again and again until his knuckles were torn open and blood dribbled against the floor, splattering the stone with red. “Arghhh”, he screamed. His skin shimmered to blue, the heat of the room nearly suffocating him. 

His mind became clouded with the feral nature of his Jotunn form. He cared not who he was, or what he was. He thought not of his sons laying in the next room, or of his responsibilities to them. All he thought of was his rage, and of the primeval chaos that flowed coldly through his body. He wanted to seek out refuge in his homeland; in the raw, untamed nature of Jotunheim. Perhaps there, alone among the ancient black ice, he could escape from this pain, this misery... 

_ “Loki…” _

The words ghosted through the air, the melodic sound causing the god’s heart to seize up in his chest. His body whipped around, red eyes searching the room wildly. “Little one”, he whispered questioningly. 

_ “My love… let me go…” _

A sob choked past his lips as he fell to his knees. “Is it you? Is it really you? Show yourself to me, please! I must be going mad but I do not care. If it is only in madness that I have you then in madness I will stay!” 

_ “You must let me go” _

“What? No”, he sputtered. “I won’t! I can’t!”

_ “It’s the only way now…. The only way…” _


	22. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy this next chapter. It's full of hurt, and anger, and angst. But I promise you ALL there is so much more to come! You just have to trust me and please keep on this journey with me. Much love to you all!! Stay Safe Lovlies! xoxo ~LLL~

[SAM SMITH](https://soundcloud.com/samsmithworld) · [To Die For (Acoustic)](https://soundcloud.com/samsmithworld/to-die-for-acoustic)

“The only way? The only way for what?” 

Loki’s voice echoed loudly off the walls of the empty room. He sat there waiting. Waiting for her voice to answer. Waiting for her to finally show herself to him. His knees went numb from the hard, stone floor. Still he waited. 

“Answer me”, he screamed. Yet, no answer came. 

The god fell completely to the floor, hugging the stones with his prostrate body. “Why do you torment me so”, he cried. Had he truly gone mad? Did his sons and all of Asgard now have a mad man as their king? 

Another roar ripped from his throat. “I am not mad!” With determination, he pushed himself off the floor, his body shimmering back from blue to its usual pale countenance and stormed from his chambers. His shoes clacked against the polished floor as he hurried down the corridor. 

The walls blurred past him. Guards and palace staff moving quickly out of his way with raised eyebrows or looks of concern. Everyone knew the King had lost his consort; the mortal mother to his children had died in childbirth. No one dared stop him, or to even speak as he flew by, green and black robes billowing behind him. 

Sliding to a sudden halt before a pair of solid golden doors, he sucked in a harsh breath, his jaw hardening. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steel his nerves. The thing he had been avoiding now for days on end lay just beyond those doors. He was not mad. And he was not a coward. With another intake of breath, his hands curled around the handle to the doors before drawing back suddenly as if burned by hot coals. 

He felt as if the floor beneath him had suddenly given way, and he was dangling above the precipice of a vast canyon. He gripped the door again as his chest rose and fell heavily and cold sweat dotted his brow. An invisible hand had closed around his throat, choking all the air from his lungs. The overwhelming grief washed over him like boiling water sloshing in a pot; hot, fiery torment. 

“Loki?” Thor appeared by his brother’s side, concern on his face as he took in the shaking, cowering figure before him.

A group of maids had congregated at one end of the hall, staring with wide eyes and whispering behind open palms to one another as they watched their King and his brother.

Thor looked around at the small crowd, before turning back to his brother, doing his best to block their view of this broken Loki with his huge, bulking form. He placed a supportive hand under his brother’s arm, prying him gently from the doors. “Come on now, Brother”, he said softly. “Let’s get you back to your room, hmm?” 

Loki’s green eyes shot to Thor’s face, the wild look in them causing the blonde god to recoil for a moment. But when he saw the tears that spilled out next, he pulled his brother closer into him, steering him down the corridor and away from prying eyes. 

“Here we are”, he said soothingly, guiding his brother back into his room and settling him on the edge of the bed. 

The dark god’s face fell forward in his hands. “I am a failure”, he whispered from behind his fingers. 

Thor frowned, straining to hear the words. “Don’t say that”, he responded finally. “You are not--”

“I am”, Loki interrupted with a cry. “I let her die. Me! I did that. And now, I can’t even face her body! She lies in that room, Brother. And I can’t even bring myself to face the idea of her funeral pyre.” 

The other god sat down beside the frantic man. “Brother, you have to stop blaming yourself”, he said gently. “And you have to let her go.” 

Loki’s head whipped around to look at his brother. “What did you say”, his voice deathly quiet. 

Thor looked down at his hands, uncomfortable at the conversation that was occurring between them. “I know you don’t want to hear that. But you must, Loki. It’s the only way now.’ 

Loki's eyes grew even wider as he blinked in disbelief at hearing the words from his little Midgardian being spoken back at him from his brother, of all people. He sat back from the large god for a moment, before rising to his feet and staggering across the room. “Did she tell you that”, he said, voice tinged with mania. 

“She”, the blonde questioned, coming to his own feet. “Who are you talking about?”

“Her”, Loki screamed. “Her! Charlotte! Was it her that told you that too?!” 

Thor let out a heavy sigh, his head dropping to his chest. “Stop, Loki”, he said quietly. 

Loki just paced the floor, shaking his head as he continued to repeat his questions over and over. “Was it her? Did she come and speak to you too?” 

“Enough!” The god of thunder’s voice boomed through the room, stopping the unhinged man in his tracks. “This is enough of this madness! I know you grieve, Brother. But she is gone. Do you hear me?! Gone! She is not coming back. She did not speak to me or to you or to anyone else. You will set her body upon that boat to her final resting place by tomorrow evening, or so help me Brother, I will do it myself! Do you understand me?”

Loki just stood there, feet firmly rooted to the spot, mouth gaped open as he stared at his brother in dumb shock. 

“Do you understand me”, Thor raged again. 

The dark god nodded his head numbly. “I--I”, he stuttered, “I understand”. 

Thor crossed the room, stopping once at the door to turn around and face the god of mischief with a troubled look on his countenance. “It pains me to see you like this, Loki. But, I promise you, either handle this, Brother. Or I will”, was all he said before slamming the door behind him. 

_ ‘She is gone! Do you hear me?! Gone! She is not coming back.’ _

His brother’s words echoed around in his mind, bouncing between the grief and the anger like a flashing neon sign. Loki stumbled backwards towards the fireplace, grasping at the mantle as he turned towards the dying embers. His eyes were glazed over, pools of green emptiness that stared blankly at the red coals in the grate. 

His grip tightened on the ledge, the stone cracking loudly against the pressure, but still he did not loosen his hold.  _ Gone.She is gone. _ The words kept twisting in his already twisted heart. It wasn’t until the mantle began to crumble between his fingers, specks of black dust falling to the floor like ash that the god broke free from his trance. 

He needed to see his sons. He needed to feel their warm, tiny bodies against his skin. Feel their heartbeats as they pittered within their chests against his own. Stroke their downy hair as he snuggled them closely. They were all he had left of her now. 

No, that wasn’t quite true. He had more than just their sons. He had the journal. And the memories. The memories... those were the hardest to face. The memory of her small body curled up against him. The memory of her hands tangled in his hair, washing the inky locks as he leaned against her in the tub. The memory of her bathed in moonlight as he opened himself up to her for the first time, to anyone truly for the first time. Her beauty knocked him senseless, even then. And now, all that was left of her, of her beauty, was a withering corpse that lay under his Sedir.

“My lord”, a voice called out to him from behind somewhere. 

Loki spun around, his eyes rimmed red. The wetnurse to his children stood just inside of his chambers, uncertainty and something else on her face. Fear? His eyes narrowed slightly at the woman, as she looked around the room not meeting his gaze fully. “Yes”, he questioned. “Is something wrong... with the twins”, as he spoke these words, he felt a glacier of ice fall over his heart in panic. 

The woman’s eyes finally stopped roaming the room, shooting to his face. “My… my lord”, she stammered. “Your sons…” Her words trailed off as her eyes filled with dread. 

“My sons what”, Loki roared at the woman, pushing past her and rushing into the nursery. Vali and Narfi lay snuggled next to one another in their bed. The sheer white canopy that surrounded them hiding them partially from his view. But their soft cooing indicated to the god that everything seemed alright at least. 

Yet, another of their nurses, a young woman with short golden curls, stood against the far wall. Her back was pressed firmly into it, horror on her face. Despite what it seemed from where he stood at the door, this woman’s reactions, the reaction from the wetnurse moments before in his chambers, they all told him that something was clearly wrong. 

“What is it”, he whispered, walking into the room softly, hands held up, palms open as he tried to catch the eye of the nurse against the wall. He kept his face calm, eyes direct yet gentle, as if trying to soothe a startled horse. His sons continued their cooing from their resting place. He was almost there. The woman across the room had not moved an inch, still locked in a trance of fear. The footsteps of the wetnurse behind him had stopped, noticeably, just outside of the room. 

As he neared the elaborate gold and blue crib, a groan escaped his lips. His two sons lay just within, smiling and cooing, and as blue as the bedding around them. “Oh boys”, he said under his breath at them, trying his hardest to put on a serious face but failing miserably at the happy sounds of his children. 

“Wha--- what are they”, the nurse against the wall stammered out. 

Loki spun around, his smile fading, his eyes hard stones. “They are my sons”, he said in a cold, disgusted voice towards the woman. “And you would do well to remember that.”

The woman choked on a small sob. “But---but they”, she cried, unable to finish. The wetnurse from the door rushed to her, gathering her in her arms. “They are Frost Giants”, she finished for the other woman. 

The dark god flew across the room, both women bracing themselves against the wall in terror. “They are my sons, the princes of Asgard”, he breathed savagely down at them. “I will not repeat myself for a third time.”

The wetnurse, the braver of the two, tipped her head up defiantly. “And what of their apparent heritage? Are we just supposed to ignore that?”

Loki slammed his hand against the wall, just above the two women’s heads. The one with the short golden curls let out a shrill cry, falling to a heap at his feet. The other just looked at him with narrowed eyes. 

“I am your King, and you will do whatever I command of you”, he spat at her. “And you will not breathe a word otherwise. Do I make myself clear”, his voice low and deadly. 

The blonde crumpled on the floor nodded her head wildly, her tears sploshing tiny wet dots on the floor and the hem of the god’s cape. The wetnurse just clenched her jaw. “My father died in the War against the Frost Giants”, she said with venom. “I will never accept those two… abominations… as  _ my  _ princes.”

A growl of pure rage erupted from the god’s throat as his hand closed around the woman’s neck. A green glow shimmered around him before his own skin was as blue as his sons. The women let out screams, the one on the floor scrambling to get away from the god and the other still struggling under his hands. 

“Brother!” 

Thor thundered into the room, stopping as the nurse on the floor crawled to his feet, clawing at his legs. “Protect us, son of Odin”, she cried. 

The blonde god reached down, gently plucking the nursemaid from the ground and setting her firmly on her feet. “Do not fret, child”, he said softly. Turning to look at Loki, he sighed heavily as he took in his brother’s icy form clutching the wetnurse. “Let her go, Brother.” 

Loki’s brow drew down in a harsh line as he turned to his brother before back to the woman in front of him. “She disrespected me. Disrespected my sons”, he snarled. “And”, he leaned in closer to the woman, his red eyes predatory violence, “she knows what I am. What I am and what my sons are”. 

Thor cursed loudly behind him. “Damn it, Loki. We don’t have time for this! You told me you understood when I pressed you about the need for Charlotte’s funeral.”

The dark god dropped the woman suddenly, spinning around to Thor violently. “This has nothing to do with her!” His roar was deafening, both women whimpering and his sons beginning to wail from their bed. 

The god of thunder moved forward, clasping his brother hard on his shoulder. “Do not lose your focus. These women, your sons… this is something your magic can actually fix, Brother.” 

Loki staggered backwards from Thor’s heavy hand, blinking rapidly before he let his Frost Giant form fall away, and his normal trickster one take its place. He nodded once at his brother, who reached over to pull the two women closer to him in a semblance of protection. 

Reaching deep within, Loki centered himself, calming his breathing and feeling the hot tide of his Sedir begin to pool in his fingertips. The golden glow filled the space, reaching its brilliant tendrils out, curling crooked fingers over the two Asgardian women and his two children. 

The resplendently blue shimmer of his sons’ skin faded and paled until they were the same milky color of their father. Their crying stopped as the two nurses’ faces went slack and their eyes disappeared behind clouds of black for a moment. The gleaming shine dissolved into nothingness around them all, the women’s eyes returning to normal. 

The one with the short blonde curls was the first to move,letting out a soft gasp as she found herself in the arms of Prince Thor. “My Lord”, she stammered out, pushing her body away from him with chaste modesty. The wetnurse only stared up at the bulky god with shining, stricken eyes. 

Loki let out a disgusted snort, rolling his eyes heavenward. “Idiots”, he mumbled under his breath. He stalked over to his sons, picking up the darker-haired Vali first, nuzzling his nose against the babe’s soft cheek. He draped his free hand over Narfi in the crib, playing softly with the infant’s tiny fingers. 

“That was very naughty of you my sons”, he whispered at the two, a smile ghosting his lips as he felt himself become instantly calmer in their presence. “I would expect nothing less from my sons.” He chuckled softly, kissing his son and placing him back beside his brother. Waggling a finger down at the two cooing boys, “I will have to keep a better eye on that magic of yours. Until then, mine will have to suffice. We can’t scare off the whole kingdom before your first birthdays, now can we?” 

Loki looked over his shoulder, seeing his brother trying to extract himself from the wetnurse’s still clinging arms. “My sons’ need feeding”, he spoke out, a bit harsher than the women had ever been used to hearing from him before. Their startled expressions did nothing to soften his heart though, he had seen how his  _ people _ would respond to his true parentage. He knew that all within Asgard would feel nothing but revulsion at his Frost Giant form. No one would love that part of him, no one ever had loved that part of him, no one except his little Midgardian. 

And now he had to say goodbye to her… and this time, for good.


	23. Rites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfiction, please be gentle lol. I haven't planned this in advance, although I do know the general direction this is heading. But, as of right now its just a trial and error kind of thing. I'm excited to get this out there, and hopefully you guys will enjoy it. Please comment, constructive criticism is always welcomed!!  
Oh, and disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel character or its affiliations [although I wouldn't mind owning my very own personal Loki ;)] This story is purely of my own creation and imagination, if this premise has been done before or resembles any other works out there I would like to state upfront that this is not my intention and would be purely unintentional as I have obviously not read EVERY single Loki fanfiction out there.  
Again, thanks for reading and ENJOY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty guys... I know we have had so much pain and angst these past few chapters. It's hurt me as much as it's hurt you all. But, as I promised in the last chapter, there was so much more to come. I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter! Please if you do, feel free to leave a comment below. I would LOVE to hear from you all! It helps to know that you guys are actually there, reading, and enjoying this journey we're all on. As always, stay safe out there guys and much love always! xoxo ~LLL~

[Breno Tavares 13](https://soundcloud.com/breno-tavares-3) · [Noah Gundersen Oh Death](https://soundcloud.com/breno-tavares-3/noah-gundersen-oh-death)

Loki hovered in the shadows of the massive throne room, watching from behind filmy gold curtains at the large crowd gathered below, thankful for the meager protection from prying eyes. How was he ever to make it through this funeral? Already he felt as if he skin were on fire, his eyes glazed by constant unshed tears. 

The metal of his armor dug painfully into the tender skin at his side. He let out a shaky breath as he looked out over the room. Thor was making his way down the long aisle to sit at the smaller throne beside his own. Both placed lower on the dais than the golden throne of the Queen, now draped in black. Her body would be here soon, laying in its nest of flowers.

Thor’s face was set in grim stone, his eyes rimmed red as he settled into the chair, starring ahead unblinkingly. His normal crimson cape was changed out for sober black and gold armor. The dark god tried to focus on his breathing. His sons would be next, then… it would be his turn to go out and face the people. And finally… it would be her… 

Narfi and Vali were carried down by their nurses, their faint coos reaching his ears even from his hiding spot. The crowd all craned their necks to get a good look at the new princes. He hadn’t presented them officially at court, he knew it was a breaking of tradition but, wasn’t all of this? 

The two women settled with the twins on the first row, just below the throne platform. He felt the cold sweat beading up on his pale forehead. His breathing hitched higher, and his heart felt as if it would tear out from his chest. Loki blinked away the tears, focusing on the painful armor as it pierced him. Drawing in a harsh gulp of air, he walked out from behind the curtains, head held impossibly high, back straight. He looked ahead at his people, but his eyes saw nothing. He only focused on his steps, one foot in front of the other. Breathe in. Breathe out. Ten steps to her throne. Ten more to his own. 

He walked forward, pausing for a moment to place a hand gently on what would have been his little Midgardian’s throne, his fingers tracing lightly the black fabric. His eyes looked up quickly at his brother just below. He only had a few more steps to go. At least as King he didn’t have to walk down that impossibly long aisle. He didn’t have to try for longer than a few moments to keep himself upright. 

Loki drew back his hand from her throne, coming down the remaining steps quickly, half stumbling to his chair. Thor shot to his feet, face still hard as he bowed a short bow of respect at his brother, waiting for the darker god to take his seat before he returned to his. 

“Just hang in there, Brother”, Thor said softly under his breath. “It will all be over soon.”

The dark god saw the doors at the other end of the chamber open. A lone instrument struck a sorrowful note before turning into a melancholy yet beautiful song. As the first swell of the music hit, her body floated into view. The gold platform she lay on was covered in blooms of varying shades of crimson. Her body was swathed in yards and yards of gauzy white, her curls lay around her like a dark halo. The King’s Guard surrounded her body, their golden armor glinting even in the low light as they escorted her down the aisle to rest in front of the throne.

Loki sucked in a hard breath again, his lungs felt as if they were filled with icy shards rather than air. He felt his mask slipping. He could feel the cracks all around the edges of his stoic facade. The closer she got to him, the larger the cracks became. Even his sons must have felt her near, their soft coos from before turning into sharp wails. 

He shot a look at the two nurses, his eyes dark and stormy. He made a slight motion with his hand, dismissing them. Why must they be here? To satiate the people? The people be damned, he thought bitterly. He was already going through all this for them, what more did they want? 

“For her”, Thor said gently, as if reading his very thoughts. Loki looked at his brother sharply, his brow twisting down in confusion. 

The music stopped abruptly; her body was finally before the throne. Guards fanned out around her in a half-circle, facing the people. Thor stood from his seat once more, raising his fist in the air. The slight tittering of the crowd grew deathly silent, somber. 

“For Charlotte Harper Odinson. For our Queen. May the halls of Valhalla greet her with open arms”, his words caught in his throat as he brought his fist down over his heart and pounded the armored flesh once in tribute. 

All of Asgard raised their hands, mimicking Thor. “For our Queen!” 

Loki violently bit his tongue inside his mouth. He felt the recesses filling with warm liquid, could taste the sharp, coppery tang of blood. His fists clenched hard on the smooth, gold of the arm of his throne. Thor reclaimed his chair, and the ancient mage strode forward. A smoldering bundle of herbs filled the air around his Midgardian with a purplish haze as the man waved them back and forth, inciting age-old chants from an era gone-by when Asgardians were worshiped as literal gods on Midgard. 

As he spoke, his hands moved the smudge intricately, runes made of smoke laying over the body as he moved methodically. With a final word, the runes turned a brilliant white, glowing brightly above the woman before they seemed to be drawn down into her very body. She shone with the brilliance of a thousand suns. All the heads in the room bowed in reverence at the sight. The guards turned, filing down the steps and lining each side of the aisle, swords raised high above their heads to meet at a peak in the middle. 

They banged their golden gauntlets against the glinting gold of their breastplates, a steady rhythm as her glowing body atop its flowered platform began to glide back down and out the room. All of Asgard was on its feet, watching what would have been their new Queen as she made her final journey to the boat below that would ferry her across the universe to Valhalla.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night air was cool, winter would soon be here in Asgard. He smiled sadly to himself. She would have loved winter here. All the gold of the city covered in soft, powdery snow; the waves of the sea capped with ice. 

Loki stood on the balcony overlooking the water below. He watched the Asgardian people as they gathered on the shore, bright orbs of magical light lay in one upturned palm as they clutched desperately at their robes with their free hand against the chill. 

His little Midgardian’s body lay in the carved wooden ship, her bed of flowers shining colorfully in the wan light, even from where he stood. The King’s Guard stood sentry, the archer at the ready. His bow notched and the bowl of flame at his feet, licking bright orange flames upward towards the inky sky. 

His brother walked forward into view, his shoulders slumped. He stalked towards the boat, jaw tense as he released his own orb into the night. The glowing light floated upwards as the god of thunder placed heavy hands upon the boat and pushed it forward with all his might. The vessel wobbled forward, the water lapping at its sides in ripples. Slowly the people of Asgard began to release their own lights, the heavens above dotted with dazzling blue radiance. 

The guards let out a call in their native tongue, a wish for safe journeys, before the archer stepped forward, dipping the tip of his arrow in the flames. With a swift sureness, he released the arrow with a resounding zip. 

Loki felt his knees begin to buckle as he watched first the keel of the boat fill with bright, orange light followed by next the gauzy white fabric and flowers surrounding his Queen. The craft sailed onward, the flames devouring it greedily. His soul felt so very weary. His orb, the largest and the brightest, lay just at his feet. Some of the eyes of his people had turned upwards to him, waiting, watching. He knew that he must reach down, set his own light into the sky in honor of his Midgardian. 

With trembling fingers, he touched the glowing ball. It was cool to the touch, and strangely lightweight, like a feather. He closed his eyes as he brought the orb closer to him. “I love you, my darling”, he whispered against the light. “I will always love you.” 

With a shudder, he released the light, watching it rise into the sky to join the others just as her body neared the edge of their very world. His eyes filled with heavy tears as they spilled down his cheeks. Her flaming boat tittered in the froth from the waterfall below, before it went over the rim, its light disappearing. 

He stumbled against the rail of the balcony, grasping the stone as he tried to keep himself upright. Darkness closed around him, he fought against it. Moving as if in a dream, he willed his stiff body away and into the now empty throne room behind him. 

Her throne was still there, its moorings of black fluttering slightly. Loki walked towards it, his feet barely able to work properly. He stumbled as his vision failed him, falling to his knees before the chair. Great, wracking sobs of grief overtook him. He knew now why he had always held everyone at such great distances. This pain… oh this pain. How unbearable was this pain. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie brushed her hands over the tops of the golden-green grass. The constant light of Valhalla sifted through the leaves of the great Yggdrasil, bathing her in golden luminescence. She knelt by the flowing river that snaked its way through the land, the roots of the tree of life itself branching out to create its banks. She touched her fingertips to the water, letting the coolness of it calm her. 

A rustle nearby caught her attention. She shot to her feet. Since being in Valhalla, Charlie had yet to meet all its inhabitants. “Do not fret, my child”, Frigga said gently, her face coming into view, “It is just I”. Charlie smiled at the woman, sitting back down on her heels. The Allmother returned the smile, kneeling down beside the water. “It is beautiful here”, she said softly. 

Charlie nodded silently, before finally speaking. “Yes. It is.” Her voice was tinged by the sadness she felt. Yes, it was beautiful. A true paradise. Heaven itself. But what was Heaven without the ones you loved by your side? 

As if reading her thoughts, Frigga placed a hand on her knee. “Yet, you are unhappy here”. 

The younger woman’s face crumpled. “Is it that obvious”, she whispered with tears in her eyes as she looked up at the goddess. 

Frigga opened her arms to the girl, enveloping her in a tight embrace. “I do not understand”, Charlie said between soft sobs, “why hasn’t he performed last rites on my body. Odin said he must…” 

The older woman looked down at her, tipping her chin upward. “Why do you think I am here”, she said with a growing smile. “It is time, my dear. Odin waits for you in the grand hall.” 

Charlie pushed herself off the woman, her eyes growing round. “Will… will it… hurt”, she stammered, fear suddenly clawing at her. 

Frigga’s eyes grew soft with concern. “I do not know the answer to that. Odin and I are at home in our final resting place. This journey that you are about to embark on, it is not one we have ever taken.”

The older woman grabbed at her hand, holding it tightly. “Are you having second thoughts, my child”, she asked. 

Charlie looked down at the fingers grasping her own. Her fear had always been her downfall. She had never been brave, never been a warrior like the great Lady Sif or fearless in the face of peril like Thor. She had never looked danger in the eye with the mischievous spirit of Loki. “I am afraid”, she said finally. 

Frigga squeezed her hand, laughing softly. “Oh my darling daughter. Is that all? Do you doubt yourself because of your fear?”

Charlie gulped down tears, nodding her head fiercely in response. “Yes!” 

The All Mother chuckled once more. “Don’t you see? Just because you have the capacity to understand fear and respect it does not make you a coward. You doubt yourself but your wisdom to heed caution is what makes you strong.”

The younger woman bolted to her feet. “I don’t want pseudo strength”, she cried. “I want to actually be strong! I want more than just knowledge and wisdom. Why can I not have both?”

Frigga laughed louder this time. “Oh my dear! I see my son has certainly rubbed off on you.”

Charlie sat back down, her face flushed from embarrassment. “Is that such a bad thing”, she questioned. 

“No child! No, that is not a bad thing at all! I cannot promise you that this journey will be painless, to be honest with you I am almost fairly certain it will not be. Nothing worth it ever is without pain, without a price. But what I can promise you is that you will be changed in ways that you can not even begin to fathom.” 

Frigga stood up gracefully, holding out a hand to Charlie. “Now, are you ready for that journey to finally begin”, she asked with a faint smile. 

Charlie took the hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She threw her arms around the woman, surprising her. “I will miss you”, she said sadly before pulling away. “Yes. Yes, All Mother, I am ready.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loki was still on his knees before her throne when Thor found him, a jug of empty wine beside him. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the god of thunder. 

“Oh Brother”, Thor said with sadness. 

“Leave me be”, he replied. 

Thor shook his head, reaching down to pull his brother up. “I said Go!”. Loki roared, snatching his arm back from the other man’s grasp. 

The blonde god stepped back in shock. “Suit yourself”, he finally replied, stomping out of the empty chamber with heavy footsteps. 

Loki swayed to his feet, knocking over the empty jug, broken pieces of pottery clattering against the stone floor. His green eyes looked down at the mess, snorting a small, bitter laugh to himself. He lurched towards a table holding more jugs of wine, his gait uneven from his drunken state. 

His fingers closed on one of the jugs as he lifted it to his lips. A single drop fell out onto his tongue. His black brows came down in a harsh line as he threw the urn to the floor, this one also shattering and adding to the littered floor. 

Another jug, another empty disappointment. “Damn”, he bellowed out, turning the table over in anger. “More wine”, he cried to any servant who was near enough to hear. No one came. Loki stalked across the room, opening a side door and sticking his head out. “I said more wine”, his voice carried down the hall in a slurred screech. A maid popped her head out from a nearby room, bowing to him and muttering apologies before scurrying away towards the wine cellar. 

He slunk back to her throne, throwing himself into the chair. The black gauzy fabric tangled in his armor. He let loose a slew of curses, snatching at the cloth and tossing it to the floor. His hands shot up to the gold metal he wore, wildly clawing at its fastenings. He finally was able to free himself, flinging it to the floor to join the fabric. 

“Where is my wine”, he screamed. 

A figure in black stood in the shadows. “There you are”, Loki said bitterly. “Took you long enough.”

A small chuckle floated out to him. “You have no idea”, a voice said softly. 

Loki sat up on the throne, body pushed to the edge of the seat. His eyes squinted towards the darkness and the figure shadowed within it. “Who are you”, he questioned. “Show yourself.”

The figure stepped forward, light bathing it. The hood of the long black cloak hid the face from him. “Come closer”, he said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Come closer and remove your hood.”

The dark silhouette moved further into the light. A delicate hand reached up, grasping the hem of the billowy hood. The material fell away, leaving a pale face in its wake.Strangely familiar yet decidedly different purple eyes stared back at him, glowing unnaturally with all the brilliance of the cosmos. 

Loki gasped, falling to his knees out of the throne. “You”, he whispered hoarsely. “What madness is this that I have finally succumbed to?” He buried his head in his hands as grief shook him. 

The woman rushed forward, sliding to the floor beside him. She grasped his hands in her own, pulling them from his face. “This is no madness”, she said. 

He looked up, his face full of confusion. “I saw”, he stammered, “I saw you burn. Your body went over the edge”. 

“Who are you”, he whispered. 

“Oh Loki, you know who I am”, she replied. 

She took his face in her hands, pressing her nose against his as she breathed against his lips. “I am finally home, my love. I went through Hel and back just to come back to you.”

He shook his head. “How is this possible?” 

“I was given a gift”, she said with a secret smile. 

Her eyes pierced him in a way they never had before. They swirled with a fire that no Midgardian, even his own precious one, was not capable of. He took a steadying gulp of air. “What are you”, he finally said. 

You ask what I am”, she smiled as she kissed one cheek first then the other. “I am strong, Loki. I am finally strong! I am worthy!” 

Her lips crashed into his and he could taste her desperation, but more importantly he could taste… her. 

“My little one”, he moaned against her mouth, salty tears splashing against their lips. 

“Yes, my love! I am home! I am finally home, and I will never leave you again until we cross into Valhalla together.” 


End file.
